Mother's Day Giveaway!

Hi friends and fans,

Its about time for a giveaway, don't you think? This one is in celebration for Mother's Day though I'll be choosing a winner on April 7th. That's one full week to enter and win!

There are several ways to enter to win! Three winners will be chosen at random. You can enter as many times as you want by doing any or all of the items below.

1. What is your favorite memory of your mother?

You can answer this question in the comment section at the end of this post or at the posts I leave on Facebook.

2. Suggest Jillry to your friends on Facebook and have them post your name to my wall. You will get an extra entry for each friend that posts your name. How? Go to my fan page and click on Suggest To Friends under the profile pic on the left top of the page.

3. Follow my blog. This is super easy. Simply click to the right where it says Follow My Blog. I will see your name/face under this section and you will get an extra entry!

I will choose three winners. Yes, THREE!

One person will win their choice of a pair of earrings from my shop.

One person will win a $10 gift certificate to my shop.

One person will win 20% off their next order from my shop.

Questions? Just ask! You can reach me at JillryLove@gmail.com or can message me on my personal Facebook account.

Good luck!

Orange Julius Recipe

This concoction is so easy, with so few ingredients it feels weird calling it a "recipe". Made of oranges, water, ice and sweetner, this refreshing drink is a hit in my book for the hotter months.

You will need a juicer - I have just a regular old fashioned cheapie from Walmart that works great - plus a measuring cup. I love to pick a pretty pitcher to put it in when serving company.

Ingredients

medium to large oranges (think 1 orange per person)

water

ice

sweetner (2 for each orange used)

Slice oranges in half and juice. Pour into measuring glass. If you like pulp, scoop a little in the measuring glass too. Note the amount of liquid juiced and add a 1/3 water to the orange juice. For example, if you juice 3 cups, then add one cup of water. For a more concentrated juice, use less water.

I like my orange julius's pretty sweet, so for each orange I add two sweet n low packets.

If you plan to serve immediately to guests, pour juice, water, and sweetner into a blender, filling it halfway with ice. Blend well, leaving chunky bits of ice.

Or you can just pour into a pitcher for the fridge and serve over ice when you're craving a sweet and refreshing treat!

Enjoy!

Bump Bump Bump

Good morning. Its 7am Tuesday morning. Even though I'm relapsing on this cold, again, I had a great night's sleep. Pregnancy has completely changed me and its all about learning what works for you to get through it as comfortably as possible. For me, a good night's sleep means exhausting yourself during the day...

Today I am 18 weeks, 3 days pregnant. I promised you baby bump pics, so here you go:

Still kind of hard to see, but its THERE. I am completely past the days of sleeping on my tummy now. And I still haven't mastered the side-sleeping position. My pre-pregnancy pants no longer have a chance.

Cravings: Still love my oranges, but since it became a little warmer out I'm using them for Orange Julius drinks. So refreshing! I'll share the recipe in a following post.

Also can't get enough Raisin Bran Crunch with sliced strawberries and/or bananas. Thankfully I'm craving healthy stuff and spend way too much time in the produce section of the grocery store these days!















Names: Definitely want to use Jason's middle name Isaac if its a bebe boy. Not sure if we'll use it as a middle or last name. We've tossed a few names around but for some reason I'm feeling very protective of the names we've picked. The last thing I want to see is someone scrunch up their nose at a name we love. I may share later on.

Finding out the sex: 3 more weeks.

Size of the baby: 5 1/2 inches long, the length of a bell pepper. (Is a bebe-pepper?)

Changes in me: The belly is protruding a little more these days. I went to the zoo this weekend with Jen, Toot and Baber and wore a fitted non-maternity top (that used to be loose on me, WAH!) and Jen said I finally look pregnant, so we took a pic of my belly.

A very surprising change: I'm suddenly a milk drinker. As a baby I was lactose intolerant and never really got over my dislike for milk. Now, I find myself fixing a bowl of cereal just to down the sweet milk leftover.

Changes in husband: He's putting his hand/ear/face on my belly every chance he gets. And still very protective, which I'm loving every minute of. :)

My next appointment: April 19th. Ultrasound!

Camping at Lake Lincoln

Yes, I'm a bit behind on blogging. Hopefully I can get a pregger update on here next. But first, our relaxing camping weekend getaway at Lake Lincoln, MS...
















Our campsite. Unpacking took literally minutes, though done mostly by the Baberhusband. (I love having the I-can't-carry-anything-heavy excuse!)






























Beware of alligators? ALLIGATORS? Seriously???






















Mini enjoyed riding in the truck, windows down, exploring the entire campsite. Next time we'll camp near the lake. By the alligators. *stare*





























I got a kick out of this church: GODDIDIT. Did what? I mean, we know he's responsible for... a lot... but I'm wondering if they were speaking of something very specific?

Our weekend went a little something like this:

Unpack.
Build fire.
Eat.
Stoke fire.
Read magazines.
Nap.
Explore the grounds.
Take a walk.
Eat.
Nap.
Sleep.
Watch The Office before bedtime in the camper.

We also wrote in the Belly Book! That was one of our favorite parts.

J has already booked another weekend getaway for us in May. Hopefully it won't be too hot by then. All in all it was a very much needed, relaxing weekend. And hubby made me feel like a princess with a steak dinner Saturday night and pretty much not allowing me to lift a hand all weekend.

Feels good to be spoiled. :)

Crockpot Recipe: Stew Meat & Gravy

By request, I'm posting a recipe I whipped up today. (Hi Amanda!) The Baberhusband noted that we haven't had stew meat and gravy lately. Well, this chic wasn't about to stand over a hot stove... hello Crockpot. You're back in action!

(Apologies for lack of photos. I'll shoot some next go-round, which will be soon. I'm putting this recipe in my frequent meal file. hehe.)

Ingredients

1 lb stew meat (I got the meat pre-chopped)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 package dry onion soup mix
3/4 soup can of water

Double for larger families, this was just for J and I. We still ended up with leftovers for another night.

To serve over rice with a side of peas.

Directions

Dump all four ingredients in crockpot. Stir well. No extra seasonings necessary. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. The meat ends up so tender!

Other options: If I had it on hand, a quartered onion placed in the pot two hours before serving would have been delicious! I usually put one in the pot when I make roast.

Easy fix peas: Dump one can of peas (with liquid) into microwaveable safe bowl. Add 1 tbsp butter and sprinkling of salt. Microwave for 1 minute, stir and serve.

I love this best when mixing the stew meat, gravy, rice and peas all together.

Enjoy!

Back to US.

Good morning. *yawn* Just had two mini sausage biscuits for breakfast, the ones Mom used to make for us as kids before school. Remember those? They are just as yummy as I remembered them to be. Pregnancy has lessened my love for cooking lately, so I've found myself searching for quick fixes such as this to make my day easier. I hope the love comes back. Grocery shopping isn't nearly as fun either...

Today is Tuesday. Its wet and yucky outside. I'm 15 weeks, 3 days along.

Over the last few nights I've slept with a spare pillow tucked under me as I lay on my side. The days of sleeping straight on my belly are pretty much over and I am sad. I'm very much a stomach sleeper. I wake very often to flip because an arm has fallen asleep. I need to take a class on how to sleep on your side.

Last night I had Official Breakdown #2. (If you missed the first one, it was really silly and really not worth repeating... I let a few inconsiderate people aggravate me and became really agitated... annnd had a bit of an adult temper tantrum. Went to my room to puff, J came after me, snuggled me and gave me "that look" until I started laughing. That man is something else.)

J and I have been in a rut lately. Before I had mentioned that I felt as if we were just *waiting* for baby to arrive. Quietly doing our own things on opposite ends of the couch, occasionally talking here and there. Lately I've been bothered by our routine...

Wake up, work, come home. TV, computer, iPhone games, books. Dinner, then more of the same before bed.

Let's be honest, I'm much more emotional now. So on the nights when my books don't satisfy me and there's nothing on the television, my mind starts to wonder.

Is he bored with me?
Things are changing so fast...
My belly is jelly. I eat more often. Is that gross to him?
I don't want to cook like before, am I neglecting him?

And so last night I break down a little. I'm struggling with finishing my taxes and it weakens my spirit. So I close the computer and lay across the sectional with him. He's staring at me and rubbing my belly and pushing my messy hair behind my ears. And I can't help it so I let it all out, tell him everything about my recent insecurities. He smiles, nods, listens.

I also tell him I'm scared. I was never the woman who wanted children ever since she could remember. And I don't remember truly having baby fever. The idea of carrying a child has always freaked me out a little. The idea of not being in control, of changing so much.

He says I'm pregnant, I'm supposed to be eating more. He tells me I hardly look any different than before besides the protruding bump beneath my belly button.

He says You don't like change. Things are going to change babe, but we're facing good changes.

He comforts me, let's me cry and I feel better. He tells me I'm beautiful and thanks me for carrying his child. I thank him for letting me purge.

I realize how lucky I am to have him. I know that life is all about change. Still, the unknown shakes me. But I know he's beside me the whole way and that comforts me.

I tell him I want to get back to us. And then I go make myself something else to eat... :)

Before I go, a few things to log for baby:

Cravings: oranges, oranges, oranges. I was all about pickles there for a minute, though that may have had something to do with the heartburn I had every night. Drinking straight from the pickle jar most nights to cool the burn.

Heartburn: Pretty much gone. I'm eating small meals throughout the day to lessen bloating and potential heartburn. I laugh and say I'm high maintenance now. I feel like Pam on The Office with my first breakfast and second breakfast, dinner and second dinner. Turkey and cheese on a piece of wheat, an orange, a small helping of dinner, etc. I've noticed this way of eating helps tremendously. Learning along the way...

Names: We're still not taking this part seriously. When someone asks what we're going to name the baby, Baber says "Drew Brees Brett Favre". My brother and dad got a good kick outta that one. We're just waiting until we find out the sex, that should make it a little easier.

Finding out the sex: 5 more weeks.

Size of the baby: 4 inches long, the size of an apple. (A baberapple?) Think the size of your fist. When I learned this I placed my hand down to my belly and looked at J. We both just stared at each other in wonder. Its not a little bean anymore!

Changes in me: My belly is still jelly, but its hardening now. When J comes in to hug and kiss me bye before work, I can feel the hard dome of my belly when he lays on me now. He's learning to arch or lay to the side of me. He does it without me telling him. Its cute.

Changes in husband: I see more of his protective side these days, to me and to the baby. I've been sick for the past two days so I've been taking the recommended dose of medicine to get me through the day. He presses me to hold off a little. I tell him its doctor approved, not to worry. Baby is okay.

My next appointment: Next week on Tuesday, March 16th.

I'll wrap up now... Off to put stew meat and gravy in the crockpot for dinner tonight; it was a request from the Baberhusband. Then off for errands and to prep for upcoming home jewelry parties and craft shows.

Its going to be a crazy weekend. I hope we have time for a date. To get back to US. :)

Mini Photo Sessions to benefit children of Haiti

Hey locals of of Louisiana! Please take a moment to read the special below by White Horse Photography of Baton Rouge, LA to benefit the children of Haiti. This is an amazing gift you can give and receive some equally amazing photos from Amber Bozemen of WHP in return.

Amber has limited sessions, so please contact her as soon as possible to reserve your mini session.

March 13th in downtown Baton Rouge. Reserve some memories, grab a bite downtown and take a stroll. And most importantly, help the children of Haiti.

Read more on the White Horse Photography blog by clicking HERE. You can also check out the WHP Facebook Fan Page here.

Thank you!

Attention Fleur de Lis Addicts

Today while thrifting I met a new vendor. A woman who loves fleur de lis jewelry so much that she had to go into business selling it to justify her purchasing. She had the same complaint as I - boutiques and shops who jack up the price of fleur de lis jewelry just because its a hot item, just because of the name.

I've made a little business deal with her and will be ordering fleur de lis pieces from her on a regular basis. At a reasonable price.

Who doesn't love affordable jewelry?

Sneak peek? Yes please. I'll have some sample pieces I got from her today to sell to you tomorrow as well.


















Hammered Fleur de Lis Pendant on Chain $20 (Estimated boutique price $30)
















Linked Fleur de Lis Bracelet with magnetic clasp $14 (Estimated boutique price $20)

Mexican Chicken Pot Pie

Apologies for the lack of photo on this post. I couldn't even find a photo close to what the casserole looks like, so you'll have to use your imagination on this one! :)

This recipe is one I'm proud of: one I created while living alone, craving mexican food and only having certain things on hand. It's a spin off of your usual chicken pot pie with a mexican flair. In our little family of two, we eat off this casserole three times and it never gets old. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans Campbells cream of chicken soup
1 can Campbells cheese soup
1 can Mexican style Rotel
2 cups shredded mexican blend cheese (plain cheddar is fine too)
package of small flour tortillas
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp pepper
1/2 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tbsp butter or margarine

Directions

Place chicken in microwaveable dish with lid. Add oil, butter and all seasonings. Cover and place in microwave for 6 minutes. Flip chicken, cover and cook for another 2 minutes. Take chicken out and shred apart in the juice with fork and knife. Set aside.

In separate bowl mix Rotel and cans of soup plus one cup of cheese. Add the shredded chicken, mixing evenly.

In 9x13 casserole dish lay two tortillas down covering the bottom. Add half the chicken/soup/cheese mixture. Layer two tortillas over the mixture. Spoon the remaining half of the chicken mixture over that layer of tortillas. Put down two last tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. If you'd like, add an extra sprinkling of cumin on top just for a little extra pretty.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Cheese should be melted and bubbly. Great with a side of Mexican style creamed corn, which I may just have to break this week's casserole marathon to post!

Squash Casserole

I'm sad that I don't have a photo of this easy and delicious casserole, but I pulled the closest photo I could for you to get an idea.

This is a recipe that my family has loved and used for years. A great way to sneak in your veggies! Now, I had a conversation with my mom last night trying to figure out exactly what our "recipe" was for this casserole, so when making this one feel free to add ingredients as you see necessary. Remember - you can't take away but you can always add!

Ingredients

3 lbs ground chuck

4 medium yellow squash

1/2 medium onion chopped

1 12 oz can tomato sauce

1 cup italian bread crumbs

1/2 parmesan cheese (or more)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

Directions

Scrub squash clean and slice into thin rounds. Place squash in a skillet and add a little water to the bottom, about 1/2 cup or so. Cover and cook at medium temperature, stirring and sort of mushing the squash with spatula or wooden spoon.

In separate skillet brown ground meat, drain. Add chopped onions, seasonings and add enough tomato sauce to wet the ground meat mixture without making it soupy. You may need to use the entire can, just eyeball it.

When meat mixture is done and squash is cooked down, combine both in a large casserole dish. Add bread crumbs and half of the parmesan cheese and mix all together. The bread crumbs will act as a binder, so the casserole should start coming together nicely and not separate.

Top the casserole with a sprinkling of bread crumbs and the rest of the parmesan cheese.

Cook at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, checking the casserole until it browns on top. The ingredients are already cooked so you basically want to create a little bit of a crust on top and warm through.

This is really great with a side of peas!

Hope you enjoy! Thanks again Mom. :)

Sweet Potato Casserole

Photo by CookingLight.com

Mmmm, this casserole makes me think of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Me and my husband love this sweet casserole, a favorite that has been perfected over the years by my Mother-in-Love and the perfect side dish to baked turkey or chicken.

Hope you enjoy this southern favorite of mine!


Ingredients

2 (29 oz) cans sweet potatoes
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup margarine
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. orange juice
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
mini-marshmallows


Directions

Drain potatoes and reserve liquid. Beat potatoes until smooth. Add spices, orange juice, margarine, 1/2 cup reserved liquid, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add sugar and nuts.

Grease a 3 quart casserole dish. Fill with half the potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove, add a layer of marshmallows and return to oven until marshmallows are golden brown, being careful not to burn.

Mmm, makes me wish for Thanksgiving all over again! Enjoy!


**A special thanks goes out to my MIL for allowing me to post this family recipe!

If YOU have a casserole recipe that you'd like to share, please send email to Jill at JillryLove@gmail.com. All credit will (of course) be given to you, the chef!

Breakfast Frittata Casserole

Photo from recipegoldmine.com

Who doesn't love breakfast for dinner? I must admit, this is definitely not a reheater, but this is a great mid-week filler that takes about 10 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes in the oven.

I love using this recipe which I change up pretty much every time I use it. Try using bacon or sausage instead of ham and feel free to put any veggies you have hanging around, like peppers! (Though I wouldn't suggest carrots or zucchini...)

Ingredients

2 cans Crescent Rolls

8 eggs

10 slices sandwich sliced deli ham (honey ham or smoked)

1/4 onion sliced very thin OR

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

1/2 cup crushed croutons

splash of milk

tablespoon butter

salt

pepper

garlic & onion powder

dash of cayenne

Optional: chopped spinach and/or mushrooms, about a palm-full of each

Directions

Slice ham into small 1/2" pieces. Place in saute pan with butter, onions and spinach and mushrooms if you choose to use those.

Preheat oven to temperature on crescent roll tube. Unroll the crescent rolls and spread out in the bottom of a 9x13 pyrex dish or pan that has a thin coat of cooking spray.

Keep an eye on the ham & veggie mixture. Take out of pan before the ham browns and when the onions are cooked. In the meantime, scramble the eggs in a large bowl and add seasonings, crushed croutons, cheese, milk and ham/veggie mixture.

Pop in oven and bake until the eggs are cooked through, checking with a toothpick. It should take close to 20 minutes at the temperature noted on the crescent roll package.

Stay tuned for a southern side dish later today!

Cheesy Frito Tamale Pie

This casserole recipe is one I created back in college, one that I continue to make on days that I really don't feel like "cooking". Back then, I always had these ingredients on hand because they were cheap, stored well, and the casserole lasted all week.

Now, I can be a snob when it comes to certain things, so if you see the ingredients below and turn your nose up - I'll let it slide. ;) But we grew up on these items and they taste like home to me. Add a few things like cheese and ground meat and you've got yourself a down home masterpiece. ;)

Ingredients

1/2 onion chopped
1 lb ground chuck or lean ground meat

1 can kernel corn

2 cans Hormel (or preferred) Hot Tamales (I like the spicy ones)

1 can Hormel chili with beans

1 cup Fritos chips, crushed

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I never said this was low fat...)

sour cream for topping

Directions

Brown ground meat, drain. Add chopped onions and season meat mixture with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, or whatever mexican type seasonings you have on hand. If you don't have any, no worries - salt and pepper will do just fine.

Add corn to the meat mixture, stirring well. Set aside.

Take the tamales and lightly smush them in a bowl with a fork into chunks.

Spray a 9x13 or larger dish with cooking spray and empty crushed Fritos into the bottom, making a sort of "crust" for the casserole. Next take the chunky tamale pieces and cover the fritos. Add about half of the shredded cheese. Top with the ground meat/onion/corn mixture. Next add the cans of chili. Last but not least, top with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake at 385 uncovered for 20 minutes or until hot all the way through. Top with sour cream.

Enjoy!

Easy Spinach Rice Bake

Last week I declared this week "Casserole Week" on my facebook fan page. All week I'll be posting casseroles that will help us get through the week a little easier. Recipes will be those I've created myself, those I have on my list to try, and family recipes.

Today's easy peezy casserole recipe was pulled from The Food Network. I've purchased the ingredients for this one and will be posting a review this week after I try it out myself. I plan to use this as a side dish with fish the first time and baked chicken with the leftovers.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, plus more for dish
1 small onion, minced
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 package frozen spinach, thawed, drained and chopped
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar, plus extra for top
4 cups cooked rice
1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a large casserole dish.

In a large pan over medium-high heat, saute onions with 2 tablespoons of butter and cayenne until translucent. Add the spinach and cook for 3 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together milk and eggs.

Add the cheese, rice, parsley, thyme, basil and spinach mixture and combine well. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour into prepared casserole dish and top with extra shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes and serve piping hot.

Next: Cheesy Frito Tamale Pie!

Playing Catch Up: Valentine's Day, Baby and My Sissy

It's early Friday morning. My belly is full of hashbrowns and eggs. Puppy is snoring in her bed just feet away from me while I'm making the day's to-do list.

Tomorrow I will be 13 weeks pregnant. I'm officially out of my first trimester!

Valentine's Day

Baber and I aren't big into making a fuss over Valentine's Day, but seeing as I'm with child we wanted to do a little something special. We asked my Jillry Facebook fans to help us decide on something memorable to do and turned it into a jewelry giveaway.

A friend and Jillry fan, Amanda, had the winning Valentine's Day plans for us: Make the day about baby and us, with no extra fuss. She suggested a dinner with little to no clean up, so we ate at Gino's because I was craving Italiano. Next we visited Books a Million at Amanda's request to purchase a baby journal to write in for baby. We also purchased a baby names book. Before heading home we stopped at J's favorite, the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, to pick up his favorite treat: Tiger Butter.

Once home, we jumped in bed to relax with full bellies and talked about our future together while flipping through our new baby books. What a beautiful day. :)



















Pregnancy Update

In the past few weeks I've gotten my energy back and seem to need naps less and less. I can also cook pretty much anything now without getting sick from the smell and can eat more than just potatoes! Its good to get back into the swing of things. (Now if I can just get my craft room organized...)

This week I purchased my first pieces of maternity clothing. I was thrilled to learn that maternity jeans were not only comfortable, but super cute! As a special treat to myself, I plan to create jewelry to go with my new clothing, something I never do. I'll be sure to post photos of my new outfits and jewelry to match!

I'm currently in a love/hate relationship with my prenatal vitamins.

LOVE: Strong, healthy, long nails. Even if I have to cut them nearly every week.



















HATE: Having to cut my hair so often!

Baberbean's Heartbeat!

This Tuesday we got to hear the baby's heartbeat. We expected it to be an overly emotional moment for us, but we just kept laughing and smiling from ear to ear. I have a little horse galloping in my belly! My tummy kept jumping under the dophler instrument when I laughed, so I kept apologizing and then laughing again. Hearing our baby's heartbeat pretty much made the week for us.

A New Beginning For Sister

My sister has left the salon she opened with two other stylists for greener pastures. Her previous work environment was unhealthy and stressful. I had seen my normally calm, happy sister slowly turn into a quiet, stressed out woman with stomach problems due to the drama of the workplace she had originally hoped to be her dream salon.

She finally had enough and I am so proud of her for bettering her career and well being. The salon she will be working in has mature, professional stylists who are friendly and dress like stylists should. The colors in the salon are beautiful, neutral colors that are conducive to a calming work environment. She has a huge workspace, something I can't wait to plop my booty in for a little pampering!

I know I haven't written much about my sister and her salon before now, but her change of scenery has made me to relive my past work environments. I've worked in offices with chauvinist, abusive bosses, and offices where other women would pretend to be your friend and then stab you in the back to get ahead.

Something that I advocate more than ever now is loving what you do and doing what is good for you. There's nothing worse than taking a rough day home with you and dreading work the next morning. I'm not saying everyone should quit their current job and become their own boss, but I am saying that those who are stressed or have noticed extreme changes in mood and personality should really consider a career or workplace change. It could make all the difference in your life, a life that isn't long enough to waste on a negative work environment.

BIG SALE at JILLRY

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up to get the pick of the litter. I'm having a BIG SALE in my shop right now to clear out my usuals and make way for the new. Cha Cha Bracelets, new metals and bright happy colors for spring will be added soon. You can see new items being added daily this week as well.

Trial and Error

*sweep sweep* *dust dust* There. Hello blog. I've missed you.

<--- That's our bebe's crib, isn't it pretty? *sigh*

It's 7:08 a.m. The sun is finally up and so am I. It's Friday, and tomorrow I will be 11 weeks pregnant.

The weeks of being sick are long gone now, and like everyone close to me said with encouragement, I already can hardly remember them. So, no more "only child" jokes coming from my mouth. (I think I just heard my handsome husband sigh with relief.)

I'm a "fixer" by heart. Find something wrong and I love to analyze and inspect in order to fix it. Same goes with my pregnancy. Baber and I aren't much for medicine-taking, we try to find the problems to our aches and pains before running to the medicine cabinet. So starting out with pretty good health (knock on wood) and suddenly going through bouts of nausea, indigestion, heart burn - things I've never experienced before - was a bit trying for me. After much trial and error, I've closed the medicine cabinet again. Drink carbonated drinks sparingly. No tomato sauce. And the list goes on.

In doing this, I've become so much more aware of things. I realize now that everything we go through during our pregnancy is just our body's way of preparing us for when the baby arrives.

Now, I know that seems like a big ole "DUH" but, this is my first pregnancy and every little thing I'm experiencing is so special to me, I want to shout about it from the roof tops. So while it may seem obvious, it wasn't so obvious to me until now.

I've been told that when the baby comes you will never sleep again. I've decided not to fully believe that, but let's just go with it. For a woman who once hit the pillow and slept like a dream, waking up 6 times in the middle of the night to visit the potty is just plain torture. But, when the baby comes, waking up so often in the night will seem so natural to me.

When my body is uncomfortable and screaming at me for attention, I really listen to it and give it what it needs. Water, fruit, sleep. One day soon I'll be doing the same for our baby.

I asked J if he felt like he was waiting for the baby. He smiled, I think because he knew just exactly what I meant. Sure, we go through every day living: work, bills, dinner, chores, snuggles, Words with Friends on iphone... *snort* But, sometimes when I'm reading before bedtime and I have my hand on my tummy, I think "We're just waiting, waiting for he/she to arrive." Like we're in the waiting room called Life, reading and cooking and working just to pass the time until we can meet our little one. I've got tears welling up in my eyes right now just trying to type it. Man am I going to be a mess when the little bean does get here!

I'll close shop for now. I woke this morning excited, today is the last day of the trunk show I'm holding online for Jillry. I am completely amazed at the response and the success of the show, it could not have come at a better time for us. So I'm counting orders in my head in bed at 6:30 a.m., may as well get up. Never would I have thought I'd actually be doing something for a living that I love so much, that even sleep couldn't get in the way of it.

Its a wonderful life, isn't it?

xo Mama

Rolaids, stargazer lillies and sweet friends.

It's 4:oopm. I'm sitting on the couch with a glass of peach tea and a full heart.

Never did I expect so many people to contact me after my last blog post. I'm ridden with guilt because my innocent, most supportive friends all sent messages with hopes that they had not offended me.

Let's state the obvious: I'm a sensitive person. (If I hear one of you fake a gasp like you're surprised I'm coming through the screen.) We all know that pregnant women are known to be sensitive as well, so there you have it - I got the double whammy.

When you're feeling low and sick, the last thing you want to hear is the bad stuff. I've had a string of bad days and I think it finally caught up with me. Not to sweep the negative comments under the rug: they do affect me. But, I'd like to switch back to the good and get on with it. So thank you, friends, for your concern and sweet messages. ((hug)) I'm a lucky girl to have you in my life.

Back to the good... Like today, for instance. The Baberhusband came home early and declared it was the perfect day for a lunch date. He was patient as I got ready at the pace of a slug. He was patient when I told him I wanted Subway. No, a cheeseburger. No, Mexican. No, I really do want a cheeseburger.

We settled in at Sammy's (a local restaurant), I ordered a cheeseburger and side salad, he ordered a brisket poboy and fries. When his showed up with tomatoes on it, I nearly lost it.

"You have GOT to do something with those things," I sort of blurped out, hand covering mouth. He sweetly tucked them into a napkin and pushed them aside.

"Want a bite?" he asks, shoving his fatty smelly brisket sandwich in my direction. I put my cheeseburger down and bid it farewell. "No, it stinks."

I ask the waitress if she would mind switching my Diet Coke to tea. She asks if it tastes funny, to which I reply "Yes, but its probably just me." I'm already over this lunch-out deal.

So at this point J is snickering at me, he's actually enjoying this. Says "You don't want a bite of my sandwich??" I fake a barfing sound and threaten him with his life. He tells me if I want, he'll eat over there, pointing to a far table. Or that he could bag it up and eat it later, sighing like he's all neglected. I look up, thinking of what I can get away with here in public, surely stomping on his little toe will do, when I see his grin. He's clearly pleased with himself.

I can't help it, I get the giggles.

We were supposed to hit Walmart for the grocery shopping I just can't seem to do these days, but after the restaurant I was feeling worse, so J insisted he take me home. Said he would come back for the shopping later. After a small discussion, I give in.

Next stop, the pharmacy for heartburn meds. Oh the joy. Fruit flavored Rolaids. Yum.

Stepping out of the pharmacy, J grabs my hand and walks to the next shop. The florist.

"I want to buy the Baberwife a flower. To make her feel better," he says, and this time it is me that is truly pleased with him. I let him drag me into the florist while he picks out a stargazer lily, my favorite, and hands it to me. I feel a little fussed over, so I'm a bit embarrassed at first and then it hits me: he's happy. Happy and supportive and trying to do any little thing he can to make me feel better.

A lilly for my Jilly, he says as we get in the car. The flower is beautiful and I'm beaming from ear to ear.

You just love her.

Good morning. *yawn* (Isn't that baby room the cutest?)

Its 10:45am as I'm writing this. I finally woke around 10am this morning, its become a thing for me these days. Yes, the days of waking at 6:30 with the husband, raring to go and ready to take on the world, have sadly gone. Well, maybe not sadly. (I've forgotten how good it feels to sleep in!)

Let's be honest, this blog is about happy things. Beautiful milestones, great adventures, the love of my life, my mini monster of a puppy dog. So if I've been a bit absent, please forgive me. Like all parents tell us growing up: "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

I will say this. I've been struggling. As I mentioned in my last post, I'm waiting to find the happy in this pregnancy. I WANT to be happy. Thankfully I have a handful of great friends that talk with me daily, carrying me through with words like "Its gets better, I promise." or "You'll be clear when you're out of your first trimester." I believe them, because I have to.

Unfortunately I also have "friends" that just love to feed me the negative. That, when I mention I finally got a good night's sleep they say "Enjoy it now cuz you'll never see that again!" Really? Or comments about losing your freedom forever. I mean, come on. So yeah, really holding on to those positive friends right now and my sweet SIL who tells me that your life changes for the good, that everything, EVERYTHING you go through is so worth it. And again, I believe that, because I have to.

My sweet, supportive and patient husband has been so good to me during this time. He tells me to sleep in and doesn't let me object, because he knows my guilt issues. Goes with me to the store to buy embarrassing medicinal items and laughs at me when I tell him it seems I'm buying items for an 80 year old man rather than a 31 year old pregnant woman.

He hasn't flinched when I, yet again, say that I don't want to cook. I know, ME? Not want to cook? Our fare has consisted of frozen foods, chicken salad and pizza as of late. He's taken over the laundry as well as the dishes, because I swear there's been a chemical spill underneath our kitchen sink. I've been told your sense of smell heightens, so I expected a few things. But not being able to walk in a certain area of my kitchen because the cleaning supplies under the cabinet are screaming at me? Didn't expect that.

The receptionist at our dentist office asked him the other day how I was doing. "Is she nauseous?" to which he replied Yes. "Is she moody yet?" to which he replied Yes. "You just love her," she told him. "You just love her." I cried when he told me the conversation, because really that's all we want at this point. Understanding and love. And carbs. Lots of carbs...

For a moment last night as I lay on my husband's chest in bed I felt really good. As in normal. He told me when I cry and express the things that worry my mind when I'm hurting the most really bother him, really upset him. I told him I feel as if I have nothing to talk about these days, that the sickness consumes me, and therefore brings negative thoughts. Which, of course, I have to purge or else they'll just sit and simmer. It feels better to purge them, make room for better thoughts.

I look at him and tell him just before he spoke I was thinking of baby names. He looks down and smiles, kisses me on the forehead. We both know there's good ahead and we can't wait for it.

So, I want to end this post on a good note. Today, I am 7 weeks, 2 days pregnant. The things we're looking forward to are:

Learning the sex of the baby.

Being able to hear the heartbeat.

Painting and designing the baby room.

Finally showing and having my husband lay his head on my buddha belly.

Happy Monday lovelies. *smooch* I want a cheeseburger.

Crave, Create, SHARE.

NEW items in shop! If you prefer purchasing check-by-mail, feel free to contact me at JillryLove@gmail.com to reserve your pieces.

Its freezing and rainy these days, so I'm holed up in my craft room making newbies. Stay tuned for more new pieces!