PS

We also have
1 (one) WAsher (top load) and
1 (one) Dryer for sale-white
and
1 (one) large Whirlpool refrigerator. 21.5 cubic feet. Top Freezer.

Let me know if you guys need/want this crap.

Serisouly though, if you could manage to just buy it all right before August 25th that would be super duper and you'd all be my friends for life.

Tyler just told me August 25th is his report date (but apparenlty, a 'report date' does not come with orders--we're still waiting on those).

I can't put on socks anymore. . . .

I just thought I'd share. I felt like my head was going to explode from the pressure when I bent over to put them on.

Good thing I'm in Arizona and its 76 degrees outside. My Flip flops await!

PS. I'm not in labor. Everyone think contracting thoughts for me (Sara-in case you couldn't tell, I've adopted that phrase, I find it very useful at this point in my life : ) so thanks for that!)

Some Loose Ends

So, I figure I'd better tie up some loose ends before I go into Labor and all fire and brimstone breaks loose.

1) We've been defrauded! My fabulous Lladro? She'd FAKE! I was crushed, jsut crushed when I foudn out, and the jerk faces at luxurycorner.com kept $9.95 of my money!! Despite the fact that they're already CRIMINALS, they're now stealing 10 bucks! I plan on using their fed ex number to ship somethign to someone for $9.95. Do not mess with me Laura!! I can't talk about it much more becuase they're such. . . .grrrrrrr!! RUIN my fabulous Christams Surprise that Tyler was so fabulous to get for me, then take my ten dollars?! So upsetting, jsut the whole thing.

2) I no longer have a doula. Tyler and I had a talk and he was basically still uncomfortable with the idea, so I fired her ('let her go', I know how it feels to be fired, remember?). I wasn't goign to have my husband be uncomfortable during this process. So we've been practicing relaxation and its a good thing--becuase I couldn't stop laughing for the first 5 minutes of his guided relaxation! But I'm still really excited and still need to pack my hospital bag. . . . . . .

3) No orders to Japan just yet, so we still dont' know when we're going. Our best guess is July/August. We're planning (As of now) to live off base and yes we're taking the dog. She'll start her quarrentine in about two weeks. We'll be moving to Misawa (which is apparenlty the town) and he'll be stationed at Misawa Air Base for 3 years.

We have a bunch of stuff to sell so if anyone knows anyone who needs the following--let us know.
-1 (one) 2004 Subaru WRX, blue, very low mileage
-1 (one) 2005 Honda Element, red, a little above average mileage
-1 (one) sheer long-sleeved, beaded wedding dress, size 2/4 (its a LONG story how I have it)
-1 (one) Sector Nine longboard that has 2 scratches on the bottom, but still rides well
-1 (one) corner computer desk with one glass door broken (stupid movers) This one is a STEAL people! $10? we might just throw it away, we dont' think it will survive a third taking apart and putting together, not to mention an overseas trip in a cargo container (I'm acutally not sure TYler wants to sell it though. . . .hahahaha. . .so maybe we'll wait on that one)
-1 (one) Silver RCA Subwoofer (I don't knwo why we moved with it, we just did)
-1 (one) 19" CRT monitor, silver

I'm sure I can think of some other items that need to be pitched, but that's all for now. I'm also looking for
-any sort of japanese language guide/study course/tapes/tutor/brain implant
-a bike trailer and/or 'saddle bag' thingys that can hang over the rear wheels of your bike--or maybe just a giant basket for my bike

I can't think of any other loose ends, but I'll keep you posted if I do.

38 Week Update

No, I'm not in Labor.

I think she's 'dropped' though. Which is nice becuase

a) water doesn't give me heart burn anymore--I'm drinking to my hearts content : )
b) I don't feel so crowded in the lungs

It's not so nice, though, becuase

a) my stratified squamous is now squished to the max, meaning I'm in the bathroom every 10 minutes from all the extra, yet delicously thirst-satisfying, water I'm drinking
b) my hips hurt a lot more--especially at night when I'm on one side for an extended amount of time


And also, no pants fit anymore. Or shirts. Even the maternity ones are no longer comfortable. My bath robe is pretty much all I can handle, but I look like a big, fuzzy blue blob. It doesn't help that I have to tie the tie ABOVE my stomach, which just accentuates the stomach. . . .

So now I'm wearing one of my dad's old buttondown shirts I've had since High School, only its not buttoned over the stomach becuase otherwise its too tight. And some old Notre Dame basketball shorts that were previously so big they would fall off me when I walked.

Yeah, they stay put now!

But at least they're comfortable! : )

*PS I realize these are not fabulous shots of me, so please excuse the double chin, fuzzy focus, and other 'les than perfect' attributes of both the pictures and their subject. . . I mainly just checked out Amanda and Alicia's blogs and thought they both looked jsut fabulous compared to this monstrosity you see before you in this post : )

The German Sheppard

About five houses down there lives a German Sheppard.

This dog has the uncanny ability to jump/climb/scramble to the top of the cinder block wall surrounding his property and hook his front legs over the edge and just watch passers-by.

The first time I noticed the Giant head poking out over the top of the wall was on a walk with Frankie. IT made me somewhat nervous because he seemed to be eyeing Frankie and I thought he was standing on something that would enable him to take one jump and clear the fence.

I prudently crossed the street and created a plan in my head in case the dog got out and started attacking Frankie and me. I also walked a little faster.

Tyler was the one who noticed the dog was not standing on anything, on either side of house (because he does this in both side yards), but was merely using front leg strength and rear leg 'scrambling' to keep himself up.

I squoze his hand hard and harshly whispered "Don't make eye contact!!" I, again, walked faster. Tyler seemed to think it was funny.

So today I'm walking Frankie and we happen to pass by the German Sheppard's house again. AS we're passing, up pops his head over the wall. He's eyeing us and I'm avoiding eye contact as per usual, but Frankie keeps stopping and looking at him! And THEN. . . . . it starts. A low, grumbly growl.

Not a "hey I want to play with you" growl but a "Mmm, I could EAT YOU!" growl.

Queue the back legs scratching on the wall to get a better grip and exit Anna stage right practically choking Frankie because she's not wanting to break eye contact with the German Sheppard.

At 38 weeks, I have no plan B if said German Sheppard decided to take us out. I think I'll have to start using another walk route.

What's in a name?

Its just a name right? A nice little girl by any name is still a nice little girl right? Just as a total brat by any name is still a total brat. . .

I think people think we're holding out on them or something, but we really just don't have a name yet. Tyler finally got a little closer to understanding how imminent this child is when I told him that I'm 1cm and partially effaced.

"Babe. . . we need a name!"

I didn't tell him that i could still theoretically go all the way until March 8th or even past march 8th. Why ruin it? we'll pretend that old mantra of 'the joy is in the journey' is true.

If it were, though, I wouldn't almost cry every night I go to bed for uncomfortableness and finally resort to sleeping propped up on the couch. (Its not a cry, so much as a mini tantrum/pout.) Or maybe I wouldn't feel so bad that I've gained 25 pounds when I orignialy Dr. in texas only 'reccomended' 15 (the last three, of which, happened last week! And I KNOW its not all her weight, its definitely finding a home on MY body, not hers--ehhhh). He didn't outright say it, but my Texas dr. thought I was a fatty mcfatty in my first trimester, when I acutally LOST 5-7 pounds!

Although, in all fairness, despite the heart burn from water (yes, water gives me heartburn, and it SUCKS because I'm SO thirsty! I so have to drink milk. . perhaps that's where the extra weight is coming from. . . . ), and the lowerback ache/hip aches, and the occasional fierce middle-of-the-night leg cramps, I'm still pretty excited. Not ready, but excited!

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;

Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.

What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,

Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part

Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!

What's in a name? that which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet;

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,

Retain that dear perfection which he owes

Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,

And for that name which is no part of thee

Take all myself.

--Romeo and Juliet, 1594:

Frankie's Photo Shoot

So I had some funny pictures of Frankie on the cameran and I thought, since I don't have the baby yet, I may as well put some pics up of her! She just got groomed a few days ago, but her hair was so long and matted that they had to shave her. She looks a little scrawny, but she'll grow out in a week or so.

Below is Frankie in her "Greta Garbo" period. . . . The bonnet to match the dress and booties I made didn't turn out as cute as it looked in the book picture, but I think it looks awesome on Frankie--HAhahahaha!

Frankie and Tyler catching some Z's one fine President's Day afternoon.

She likes to hang out with me sometimes in the office when I"m on the computer. But she gets annoying sitting on my lap with my fat pregnant stomach or sitting on the desk in frotn of the monitor. Or sometimes she'll stand up in front of hte monitor and just look at me as if to say, "can you stop staring at that thing and pay attention to me?" So I put a nice soft blankie on the second chair in the room and she now hangs out with me by sleeping on the chair.


These are pre-grooming photos in case you didn't notice how 'big' she looks-its all fur.

She'll often look at me out of hte corner of a squinted eye to make sure I don't leave the room or anything. If I do get up, she's quick to follow. If I don't move, she's quick to go back to sleep.

Our First Active Duty Assignment. . .

is JAPAN!

Misawa AB here we come!

(at a late to be announced later--after he acutally gets orders. . . we just have the assignment rignt now. Ah, life in the Air Force)

Its pretty cool and exciting, and it was our first choice too. Although, now that it's official, there's SO much to do! I hope I don't freak out with the baby and an overseas move and the dog (holy paper work for the Dog! You'd think we were trying to get some sort of nuclear, radioactive product into the country!)

We'll be there for 3 years, and no, we don't know where we'll move to next : )

Happy Valentimes Day!

No, that's not a typo.

Tyler bought me some beautiful roses (yay! flowers! :) AND a big box of Queen Anne Cordial Cherries-Milk Chocolate of course. He had a time finding them in Texas last year, had to go all the way to Wal Greens to get my two boxes (they were gone by the end of the month. Hopefully I'll have more self control this year.)

And he left a note on rose paper (from my collection, I was impressed he found it! I had forgotten I had it acutallY) written in pink highlighter. . . ahh, true love : )

My day was going pretty good anyways, but it was super fabulous by the end!

I feel a bit like Lucy when I "drop hints" about things, but I'd hate for him to go through all that effort and spend any amount of money on something stupid like a box of Russel Stover (which I do not enjoy) or some random no name crap becuase it comes in a heart shaped box. I really just like his notes though--they always make my day! : )




PS. "Happy Valentimes!" comes from an episode of 30 Rock when Rachel Dratch plays Vlem, a not so classy 'lady of hte night'. She falls down at the very end of hte episode and shouts it from off camera. . . . its hilarious.

PS Again. To acutally 'celebrate' I guess, we went to Claim Jumper on Friday night with a $50 gift card we got from Cox Communicatiosn or something. It was quite nice acutally, a literal 'no strings attached' $50 gift card. I made a resevation and got all gussied up. . I don't have a picture, but it was very enjoyable.

Fort Tuthill

This past weekend the 61st Fighter Squadron went to Fort Tuthil (Tut Hill. I don't know why they don't spell it as two words when it's said as two words, but anyway. . . ) Ft. Tuthill is this cool recreation / camping place just south of Flagstaff and its owned by the Air Force, so you have to be military to even go, but there's a whole section dedicated to Luke AFB.

It reminded me a lot of Big Bear, and since it was February, there was ab unch of snow on the ground. BUt since it was February, the sun was out : ) So it was very very nice. A bunch of people brought their kids and they have cabins and bungalows and a 'mini hotel' and one big house that a bunch of peopel stayed in and served as sort of 'home base'. Tyelr and I stayed in the 'mini hotel' (or TLF) just becuase we dind't need the full kitchen of an A frame or the two beds of the cabin--plus it was the cheapest option : )

Tyler and some of the guys wanted to go sledding on Saturday, but there wasn't much slope around. We watched some of the kids sled instead, then the older boys (yes, the pilots) started a snowball fight with one Warner boy (whose father, by the way, is in Baghdad for a year as of 3 weeks ago--I was glad their mom brought them, Jill is super nice).

I missed getting a picture, but Tyler got a great snowball right in the face once. This one's still pretty good though. I like that the kid just picked up a giant chunk of snow and lobbed it at Tyler, haha!

A group of the students went to an Indian place for Lunch. It was ok, but buffets usually aren't the way to go in my opinion. But it was nice to be able to sample random looking/sounding things without having to pay for a full meal if I dind't like it.

Then Tyler, Max, Paul and I went to downtown Flagstaff and jsut walked around for a bit. I made them all walk extra to find a bathroom (I'm 9 months!). We hit some hippie stores and a record store. . . didn't buy anything but it was quaint and interesting.

We got accosted by a couple in a beat up pick-up asking where the nearest pawn shop was. We had no idea since we were just visiting, and said so. They apparetnly didn't like that answer becuase as they drove away they told us to "get an education". . . . I wondered out loud when we got back in the car if they realized all four of us were college graduates. Max noted that they were the ones in need of a pawn shop. Point.



Sledding was better that night becuase the sun melted the top layer of snow, then the cold night air refroze it into a layer of ice. Dan decided to give it a shot. This was the main driveway to the Big House.


I chose crap shoes for the trip, I just wasn't thinking. But they were my cheap, big (size 8) wal mart specials for my sometimes swollen feet. So on the left Tyler is helping me not fall and kill myself on ice/snow and on the right is the real picture I was after.

Saturday night was a big Chili Cookoff at the Big House (I brought corn bread). THANKFULLY Stacey brought a big crock pot of mac and cheese AND a big crock pot of BBQ pulled pork and buns becuase I'm not a huge chili fan. It was delish! I broke down and tried some of Max's winning chili, but it was so spicey I started gagging/coughing after my first bite (which wasn't really a 'bite' so much as a tortilla chunk that had just barely touched the chili).

There were a good 40-50 people there and it was nice to hang out all together and get to know peopel Tyler works with and put names to faces and just sort of get away.

This pic is on the porch of the Big House (L to R) Dan, Paul, Spike, Michtelltree (can't remeber his name or call sign), Chip'n, I don't know, I don't know, and Mahlia. Its a classic shot of Dan and Paul looks a little bit like the devil. . . its enjoyable to me : )



Tyler and I learned a new card game called Eucher (you-ker). Appaernlty its a midwest thing. Here Tyler's joined the game with (clockwise) Dan, Andrea and Stacey. That's Planet about to sit down. He's absolutely HILARIOUS.

Later on I played Eucher with Planet, Spike and Cougar. It's teams, like Bridge (I guess) and Planet and I lost pretty bad, but it was still fun. Spike's an IP and kept telling me my moves were "interesting" which would then lead into "why that move was not the smartest thing". It was funny. Like I was in a debrief for Eucher or something.

It's about 1am here. Tyler played one last round of Eucher (he and Andrea won) while I took a nap on the couch. Then we went back to the TLF and crashed.

On the left we're about to leave Ft. Tuthill (We're still in the parking lot outside the TLF).

On the right, we stopepd at a 'scenic view' (So designated by the road sign) and took a few pictures, but this one I accidentally took it instead of setting the timer. . and I just liked it the best : )

Frankie and our weed situation

We had a weed 'situation' in our back yard.

It poured rain for a few days, then got really warm, so the line below our patio roof, where all the runoff hit, has exploded into a double weed wall (or "situation", if you will).

I didn't realize they were quite so large until I let the dog out one day, and she sort of stood on teh patio for a minute. . . moved right, then went left around the backside of the BBQ to access the rest of the back yard.

The weeds were getting too large for her to go through or jump over.

No, this is no trickey of digital photography or angles. The weeds really are as tall as the BBQ. The main wall extends out to the right and to the elft is where Frankie would gain access to the rest of hte yard.


Matters were taken into my hands on Friday morning. Armed with a box, scissors, and the dog, I removed a bunch of the large roots. . . and just cut down a bunch of the other ones becuase htere were so freaking many. Frankie helped by attacking the weeds I'd pull, shoving her snout into the fresh hole left by the roots, digging around for a second, then tearing around the backyard in 'hyper-dog' mode for a few laps. She'd then return to the weed wall and repeat the process with the old hole if I had not yet pulled a new weed.

She had licked or sneezed off all the dirt/sand from her snout by the time I got the camera. I still managed to get the clod of sand stuck to her chin though-hahahahahaha!


I don't think this weed will turn into a 'situation', but its still pretty large and in charge. Fankie is standing next to it for size reference : )

Here's a video clip of how Frankie would dig in the soft dirt/mud in Texas. It's similar to how she would dig in the weed holes in Arizona.

Admission of Hypocracy

I didn't vote. After all that hype and talk about politics and 'issues' and candidates, I didn't even vote in a state primary (Texas OR Arizona's--I mention this becuase I'm pretty sure I"m still registered in Texas to vote.)

I would also like to admit that I didn't check the box of "register me to vote in AZ" when I got my AZ Drivers licesense, becuase then I'd be at the top of the list for Jury Duty. It happens every time. So, not only am I avoiding one civic duty, but I'm using my desire to avoid yet ANOTHER civic duty to somehow justify avoiding the first one. . . . . however much I may gripe about election results, I have no room to talk becuase the people who at least vote have more conviction than I. Plus, they don't need to have that "well I dind't vote for him" cushion I'll have. . . . . because I dind't vote.

I'm not proud of this fact, my friends. So I decided I was getting al ittle to 'into' the politics this time around and dind't listen to NPR on Thursday. I crocheted and watched the History Channel.

Which prioved to de disaterous becuase they had a marathon (practically) about Abu Sayef and terrorists taking epople hostage for over a year and all the chaos and turmoil and the various groups and splinter groups of crazies trying to kill . . . . . I was so depressed and somewhat distresseda bout the state of hte world my daughter was being brought into I teared up a little when Tyler got home.

Then he told me Mitt Romney dropped out of the race and I fell just a little lower.

However, I have since rebounded (Without NPR or the history channel) and am doing ok striking a blanace between living in the world with all its horror and living in my bubble with all its comfort.

On the upside, whilst watchign teh History Channel I finished the dress and one bootie. Only one bottie and a hat to go! : )

Remeber Her? When I found this picture, I lived in Texas and was preparing to go to Mexico. . . . . I completely forgot that she practices IN PHOENIX!!! Yesssssssssss :D

Come Monday I will be totally prepared, mentally and physically, for my 36 week Doctor's Appt.

Super Tuesday!

Ohhh man! Get ready to LIVE people! Today is SUPER TUESDAY!!

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/

21 REpublican Races across the nation and 22 Democratic races across the nation. . . .

I'm nervous. I don't like McCain so much after the last debate--all he does (seemingly) is not answer questions (unless he can relate it back to his military service or his extra long tenure in congress) and point out weaknesses in Romney. How about pointing out some of yoru strengths ASIDE from 'alwasy voting yoru mind'? And just out of curiosity, what if the 'people's mind' doesn't coincide with yours? What then?

And I love that the media now has a name for Hillary and Bill Clinton: "HillBilly" HA!! HAhahahahahahaha!! Oh man. . . good stuff. Seriously though, I"m rooting for Obama (and not just becuase of Oprah).

Can you imagine this country come november if a Mormon and a Black man were running for President?! It'd be AWESOME! People talking about politics like its the 1770's again! BUt really, I think either one might not be so bad : ) THeir resumes, I'd say, are much better than any of their competitors.

Allrgiht people! Lets count some votes!!

Giants WIN!!! GIANTS WIN!!!!!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahhahahahahahhahahaha!!!! This was the greatest football game of my LIFE! I had to crochet a lot more during the second half because otherwise the whole thing just would have been too intense for me--probably would have sent me into labor.

I'm SO excited for Eli Manning! Yes, I know I speak of him as though we're close, personal friends, but really--how adorable is he? Low key, young looking kid from Mississippi, followign in teh family way after a rough start in the season. NEver really hear anythign bad about him and he's just, I don't know, seems so untouched by the pomp and arrogance that often accompanies professional quarterbacks >cough< >Cough< >TomBrady< >COUGH!<

The patirots serisouly play like old school raiders. Back when all the LA gang bangers wore all the raider gear and the team was basically a bunch of ex cons running around out there with shivs and who knows what else up their sleeves? Remeber? Well, that's how I remeber them anyways (I didn't pay much attention back then, so I could be way off, but still). Although, I will say, they didn't have NEAR as many flags/penalties as they seemed to during the regular season and post season games. Their post-season match-up with teh Colts comes to mind when they had something like 140 yards lost in penalties. And really, a man who cheats on his pregnant model girlfirend with a different supermodel I just can't like. Then, that he'd tell the crazy reporter lady in the wedding dress who proposed to him on media day that he's, "A one woman man". . . . . well that just makes him a cheat and a liar. Not qualities in people I often find myself rooting for.

So YAY New York Giants! Awesome game! And YAY to Eli Manning for a fabulous last 3 minutes and march down the field.

Well done on his escape from an attempted Patirots Sack and major props, of course, to David Tyree and his freaking crazy catch to keep the Giants in possession of the ball. The whole play was amazing, historic, and posted online! Really, if you didn't see it, and you only see one football play ever, watch this one.

And WELL DONE to NY defense! Patriots only got 14 points. 14 points=awesomeness squared. Good job also on keeping them at bay for hte last 29 seconds (they were pretty long for me, I can only imagine how long they were for the players!) Excellent sacks. Watching Tom Brady get mowed down repeatedly by huge, white-jerseyed guys made my day : )

My entire week will now be so productive becuase I had such a satisfying superbowl experience. A little pathetic? Perhaps. But, in strikingly similar words to Harry Carrey,


GIANTS WIN! GIANTS WIN!

Nearing the End

Today I'm 35 weeks pregnant.

For some reason, I was completely fine until 34 weeks, 5 days, and then it was like I was all of a sudden REALLY PREGNANT.

I can't sleep, sit, even stand hardly. I have this weird feeling that goes all down my right leg (which I'm assuming is my sciatica or sciatic nerve). I've felt it in my lower back before, but now its creepign down my leg and irritating my hip when I sit or drive.

I can only eat about 4 goldfish crackers at a time and orange juice is a nightmare that doesn't even make it down my esophogus before heartburn sets in. If I choose to drink water at night, I wash it down with some cherry rolaids because otherwise I may as well be drinking acid.

My digestion process is for some reason conducting itself on the far left/lower ribcarge region of my body, which means I just burp sort of alot. But they're little, so they don't do anything, just frustrate me becuase I don't even really knwo they're coming when they spill out.

Sometimes I find myself just sitting, or standing, and realizing I haven't had a good dose of oxygen in a while becuase my ribs are so freaking crowded. She usually responds to my deep breaths by kicking my ribs--awesome.

So this is my situation. It's bad people. I'm sure anyone of you who has had a child before can attest. I just thought I'd share, you know, make a note for posterity : )

CBW Interview

Isn't she cute?! The smudge on her head is from my Drumstick, she doesn't acutally have that smudge on her face : ) I love the 'snaggle tooth' look. I also love Camp Bow Wow.

I wonder what the third leg of the hippie/yuppie trifecta I"m working on is? I'll pay $35/night for my dog and $0.35/diaper for my future child (http://www.gdiapers.com/). If anyone sees it already let me know : )