Oh. My. Word.

I just don't know what else to say!!! What is a girl to do?? The new releases at the Sweet Shoppe are positively gorgeous this week!! I am SO lucky to get to play with so many of them for my CTs!! All I want to do now is just sit and scrap. Too bad we have such a busy day planned. First we have my doctor's appointment - oh joy!! Then we're picking up the Libster and then going to Belleville to the eye doctor to pick out Nate's new glasses. We'll get to see my mom while we're there so that's a good thing!! Then we're off to Circuit City (or Walmart or some place like that) to get a cooling pad for my laptop. It has been running so hot lately and it worries me. I've had lots of people recommend getting a cooling pad, so that's exactly what I'm going to do!! Then we have to go pick up some pictures that I had printed. My new cube at work is HUGE now and I have really tall walls, so more room for more pictures!! :) I think I'm really going to end up liking this new cube. Well at least for the next 2 months or so, lol. Then I'll hardly see it at all!! Anywho, that's our day in a nutshell. It will be nice to just hang out tonight and tomorrow. I have a feeling Nate will be doing a lot of studying since he has his insurance and annuities exam on Tuesday.

Speaking of work, I just read an article on CNN.com about Wachovia. Lovely. I have no idea what this means for Wachovia Securities if Wachovia Bank goes through a merger. I really prefer not to think about it now. There's just so much bad stuff going on right now in the economy that it's scary to think about.

I watched the Presidential debate last night. I'm not big on foreign policy - don't know much about it, so it wasn't too easy to keep my attention focused on the debate. I wasn't all that impressed with either side to be honest. It didn't make me feel any more strongly about McCain and it didn't make me feel any less strongly about Obama. But really, nothing is going to change the fact that I'm voting for McCain. I don't necessarily agree with both parties on a lot of issues, so I'm letting my social beliefs do the deciding for me. All I know is I'm already really tired of hearing all of the political talk and there is still what - 38 or 39 days left till the election? Oy vey!!

Okay now on to the fun stuff!! Sweet Shoppe Saturday!!!! Just check out what I've gotten from my CTs this week. We'll start with Libby's new kit Ghouls Just Want to Have Fun. It's actually a girly-ish Halloween kit!! There are never any Halloween kits with pink in them and this one is perfect!!

I just love the name of the kit too - too funny!! Here's the page I did with it last night (the only page I got done last night!!)

Isn't the picture adorable?? I can't believe it was taken nearly 2 years ago. I just want to eat those cheeks up!!!

Next up we have a new collab from Zoe and Robin!! This the first time they've done a collab, and I think they need to think about doing another one!! I just LOVE how this one turned out!!

Moving on....Christy teamed up with ScrapKitchen Designs this week to bring another bright and funky kit:

(I'm kind of hurrying through these now because Claire Bear is kicking me like crazy - I think it's time for breakfast)

Next we have an absolutely GORGEOUS new kit from Kay. My jaw dropped when I saw the preview a few days ago and I've been itching to scrap with it!!

Gosh, I just love that kit!! *sigh*

Finally, Kristin CB was busy this week working on a fun collab with Manda Bean. Check out this cuteness!!

And then she put out a jaw-droppingly gorgeous kit!! I'm itching to play with this one too!!

Wow. I love it when my designers do girly kits!! :) I'm in Hog Heaven this week!!

Okay, stomach is growling now, I have to wrap this up!! Have a wonderful Saturday!! :)

xoxo

What's been going on this week.

So I have been very quiet lately and there's a pretty good reason for it. I ended up taking my 3 hour glucose test on Monday. I will preface by saying that nothing makes me more nervous than having blood drawn. I hate needles, I hate blood. Yuck. Enough said. I was already extremely apprehensive about this test because I had to take it twice during my pregnancy with Libby. The first time I took it, I threw up before the last blood draw. I ended up passing with one number elevated. So I have been doing SO much research on the subject of GD and the treatment of GD. I have been really watching what I've been eating. The morning of the test, I was a bit difficult. I tried to remain optimistic, but it's hard when you know that you're doing something that could potentially make you sick and to know you're going to be poked like a pin cushion. I got a call from the doctor's office on Wednesday. The nurse told me that the doctor said that my numbers are too high and that I have GD. What?? I was truly shocked. My fasting number was elevated and the 3 hour draw was 143 and they wanted it to be under 140. I'm sorry, that means that I have GD???? I find it hard to believe that there is no room to bend a little bit. The doctor wasn't even going to talk to me about it. You know what's worse? I had to ask them for my numbers. She wasn't even going to tell me. She just told me that I had it and that a dietician and diabetic educator would be calling me to schedule a meeting time. Talk about being upset. So I am just supposed to be a compliant "sheep" and say 'okay'??? Sorry, that's not how I work. I had no idea how quickly the dietitian would call me. She said that they had an appointment opening at 9 am the next day. I told her that I was still reeling from the news and that there was no way I was going to be able to make it in on such short notice. She said that the doctors like us to go in as soon as possible to get the treatment started. I'm sorry. Us? I guess I'm being lumped in with all other people with GD regardless of the severity of it. So my doctor didn't even bother to discuss this with me. That doesn't set well with me. I don't like doctor's who make you feel like you're constantly doing something wrong. I have felt like this the entire pregnancy. Let me start by saying that I am not one of those people who can't talk myself down from stress. I dealt with unusually high blood pressure readings in the beginning of this pregnancy. Mostly because this was a new doctor's office and I didn't know the doctors - it was just an unusual situation for me. So the more comfortable I got the better my readings were. Well when I was 14 weeks, another one of the doctors told me that she was going to label me as chronic hypertension. The only time I have had blood pressure problems was when I had just had Libby. My blood pressure got very high, but it went away about 10-12 weeks after I had her. No biggie. That's something that can happen post partum. I was extremely upset that she labeled me as such, when I had never been to this office before. How would she even know if I had blood pressure problems or not?? So she told me that at 28 weeks I would have to start doing NSTs twice a week. Well I'm now 29 weeks and I have yet to have one because my readings have been okay. They're going to check again tomorrow and probably start those soon. They said that my pressure is still too high for this point in my pregnancy. Whatever. I have also been questioned by another one of the doctors there as to why I'm not gaining weight. I've gained a total of 4 pounds this pregnancy. I am eating, not feeling sick. I can't explain it. I haven't been eating lots of sweets and I've cut out most sugar, so that could be a huge reason. So it seems that no matter what, they're always scrutinizing me and I feel like I can't do things right. So naturally, all of these events this week have made me feel even worse. It is just so hard to believe that they're not even willing to talk to me about my options. The dietitian told me that I would have to come up with a meal plan and begin pricking my finger 4 times a day to keep my GD in check. I find this to be unacceptable. If I am just borderline GD, then I will NOT be pricking my finger 4 times a day. I think the psychological side effects would be far worse for both Claire and myself if I did go along and do exactly what they're wanting me to do. Nate and I have done our research and we both feel that it's best that I just choose a diet and exercise plan that keep my numbers in check. I don't feel like they have my best interest in mind. I think that a lot of it is the fact that the hospital is a business. My doctors sending me to a dietitian and a diabetic educator gives the hospital business. They're making money off of me. I have also read about doctors that prefer women to have smaller babies. I think that's another thing. It's easier for them if I give birth to a baby that's smaller. I'm sorry, but Libby was 8lbs 10oz and she and I are both perfectly healthy. She did have jaundice, but a huge part of that had to do with our blood types conflicting. I think they called it Coombs? I can't remember. Anywho. Yes, I have done my research. I think that God is watching over us and I truly don't feel this particular medical intervention to be necessary. I have a doctor's appointment in the morning and we plan on laying it all our for her there. I know they won't be happy with my decision, but it's my body, it's my life and my pregnancy. I am in charge here and I will decide what is best for my baby and me. I don't feel like this added strain is what is best for either of us. I even read that with the finger prick, that the blood sugar level results can be off sometimes by as much as 10 points. I will not sit there and be stressed out all the time wondering if the testing is truly accurate. I have read articles written from relatively impartial points of view and also written from very partial points of view. It's all about scaring you into listening to and doing absolutely everything your doctor says. Doctor's are human, they make mistakes. The GTT is widely criticized anyway because it's so inaccurate. There are so many different factors involved. So many different scales used. I plan on using my better judgment here. It's a decision that Nate and I have talked at great lengths about. As Claire's parents we feel that not doing the treatment of something so borderline is the best option. Now if my numbers had been at least 8-10 points above where they should be then I would definitely consider treatment, but when I know that stress can affect these results, I am not going to let myself get freaked out. I will not let these doctors push me around. I have changed my diet. I will be changing it even more by adding more protein. I will begin exercising to help with my blood sugar levels. Exercise can work wonders for that. Like I said, I feel that God is truly watching over us and we'll know if we need to make changes. I know this is long, but I have SO much to say about this subject. It has been on my mind constantly and it's time that I get it off my chest and here on my blog. Tomorrow's appointment will be over soon enough and I'll feel much better. I think my biggest fear is them thinking that I am being a careless mother. That is definitely not the case. If I didn't care, I wouldn't be researching the subject so extensively. I know they won't be happy with me, but you know what? I'm not all that happy with them either, so I guess we'll call it Even Stevens. :)

Not much else to report here. Nate and I got to leave work about 45 minutes early today because it was moving day for some of us in my department. They told us that when the IT people came around and told us to start shutting our machines down, there was no reason for us to be there anymore. Cool!! So at 3:15 they came around and we were gone!!

I have so many scrap pages to share that I haven't lately, but that will have to wait till another day. I do have to say that I am LOVING what my CTs are putting out this week!! Wowza!! How lucky am I???

Well, Nate's going to be home soon. He had to help his buddy move a little bit of furniture. Nate's mom and dad are keeping Libby tonight since we're not bringing her to the appointment with us tomorrow. I am going to scrap and watch the Presidential debate. Then Nate and I will just be hanging out the rest of the evening. And I'm out. :)

FOBTY 9/25/2008

84 words

Speedtest

Ehhhh

That's just kinda how I've been feeling lately. Probably why I haven't blogged hardly at all too. I failed my one hour glucose test so I've been bummed out about that and trying to get myself psyched up for the 3 hour one tomorrow. The best thing about this next one is that instead of making me drink the yucky fruit punch stuff that I could barely choke down last week, they're letting me take the test using jellybeans instead!! WOOHOO!! I know it's a lot of sugar, but I'm not that worried about it. My problem is the drink. When I was pregnant with Libby I had to drink the fruit punch stuff and ended up doing the 3 hour test twice because I threw up just before the last blood drawing. Ewww. I can't handle that again. Nate's going with me tomorrow, thankfully!! He went with me last week. It totally helps having him there. It keeps my mind off of things. What's weird? I'm actually not bothered at all by the test tomorrow and having my blood drawn 4 times because I'm so ready to eat those jellybeans it's not even funny!! I didn't realize how much of a sweet tooth I have!! Even if everything comes back okay, I'm still going to take it easy on the sugar and only splurge every now and then. I've pretty much cut out all foods with high fructose corn syrup, so I think that helps too. We'll see. I'm anxious to see if I pass or not.

Not much else going on here. Just ready for fall. I have lots of pages that I've scrapped lately, but I'm not up to getting them uploaded right now. I'm just so drained lately. Yesterday I cleaned and I felt it ALL day. My back was killing me and I was completely exhausted. Cleaning and looking after a 3.5 year old and working full time kind of start taking their toll on you when you're nearly 7 months pregnant!! Well enough of my whining, I'm starving and it's almost dinner time so it's time to say buh-bye. :) A more scrappy (and hopefully happy) post later!!

FOBTY 9/18/2008

You Could Not Be a Vampire

Sorry, but you're not just cut out for flesh eating, turning into a bat, and living forever. But that's okay. The sight of blood turns your stomach... without even thinking of drinking it. And while you definitely would never be a vampire, you're exactly the type of frail prey Dracula wannabe's crave. Maybe it's time to arm yourself with a cross and some nasty garlic breath! What you would like best about being a vampire: The raw power (though you wouldn't admit it to anyone) What you would like least about being a vampire: The whole killing thing

Could You Be a Vampire?

Sweet Saturday 9/6

Lots and lots of new goodies at the Sweet Shoppe this weekend!! I stayed up late last night and didn't take a nap when Libby did today, so I got LOTS of scrapping done!! :)

Oh before I start, I just have to brag a bit!! I'm currently guesting for Kristin Cronin-Barrow this month and right at the end of August, I got a pm from Kay Miller asking me to be a guest on her CT too!! What a dream gig!! I am so excited about this!! :) So here's what came out this weekend (images are clickable):

Libby put out a new kit called Just For Kicks:

And here's my layout with it:


Next, Christy Lyle and Kristin CB came out with a new two scoops!! Talk about CUTE!!! Here's K.I.S.S.I.N.G:

And here's my layout:


Then Christy redid her very first digital kit (this is actually something quite a few of the SSD designers did this weekend!! Here's I Scream You Scream 2.0:


Here's my layout:


Next Kay Miller came out with an adorable fall/apple picking kit called Apple Snapple!! It's absolutely gorgeous!!

My layout:


And finally, Zoe came out with 2 new kits. Cheeky Girl and Cheeky Boy!! Cheeky Girl is a remake of her very first kit!!

And my layout using Cheeky Girl:



I also picked up Misty's new kit, Richer, today. It's absolutely gorgeous!!


And here's a layout I did with it today!! :)


Well not much else here today. We went to the parade tonight and that was lots of fun!! Got some really cute pictures, so I'll be scrapping some of those soon. Otherwise, it's been pretty uneventful here!! More of the same tomorrow!! I'm getting a sore throat, and I'm hoping that I don't get sick. That's the last thing I want right now!! Oh and a tiny update - it's nice and quiet outside right now!! :) YAY!!!!! I think I might actually get to head to bed early tonight!! More later!! I have another page to post tomorrow using some new Gina goodness!! :)

Don't piss off the preggo!!

Seriously. I think I almost just broke the tips of my fingers I was so pissed. Nate went uptown tonight with one of his old high school buddies, so it was just Libby and I home. She went to bed at about 9:30. At about 10:15 to 10:30, our punk neighbor kids decided to have a party. Trentonfest is going on this weekend, so I assume they think it's okay to be obnoxious and loud till all hours of the morning. Okay, so it's only 1am right now, but STILL!! I seethed for a little bit and thought surely their mom must be home and will tell them to shut it. Nope. I have no idea where the Hell she is half the time. Obviously not keeping track of her stupid teenagers. So our clock strikes one and I decide I've had enough. Our windows have been open because it's just absolutely gorgeous outside. If you look out our kitchen windows, you'll see that our side yard butts up against their backyard. That's where they all were, hooting and hollering, playing awful rap crap. So I turned off the light over the sink. I knocked over a glass soap dispenser in the process and proceeded to SLAM the three windows shut. Yes, I slammed them shut so forcefully that my fingers hurt for a good 15 minutes after I shut them, LOL. I might have let a few expletives slip out while I was shutting the windows. I know they heard them. Next thing I know, it gets really quiet and I start to hear cars start and they all left!! Yippee!!!!!!! The neighbor lady is a snob anyway, so I don't really care what she and her kids think of me. Hello!! I have a 3 year old trying to sleep. I just so happened to be up extra late on this Friday night. That doesn't mean act like imbeciles, ya know? I was *this* close to calling the police, but I didn't want to have to get them over here. That would really piss these kids off, especially if they're drunk (like I know they are) At least they knew I meant business. I think they probably figured I'd call the cops if they didn't shut it after that little outburst!! Grrrrr!! Stupid teenagers!!!

I feel much better getting that off my chest, LOL!! I did do a little scrapping tonight. We did have a little power surge tonight and for some reason that caused my computer to run strictly on the battery (unbeknownst to me) Well with Photoshop running that completely drains the battery. I was SO close to being done with my layout and all of a sudden my computer just shuts off!! I hadn't saved or anything. That's okay. I ended up going back and restarting the layout and I love it even more this time!! I'll post them tomorrow with my new product post :) Phew. I need a good night's sleep. My crankiness has got to go!! ;)

FOBTY 9/04/2008

Libby gave us a fun quiz to take today!!

I am a certified color genius!! I only missed 10!! We obviously have lots of crayons in this house, LOL!!

Take the quiz here and see how you do!!

http://www.crayola.com/promos/64boxBirthday/colorQuizzer.cfm