Winging it

Christmas Wrapup

2008-12-29T20:41:00Z

After stressing about gifts and where we were going to be for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, it actually turned out to be a really wonderful Christmas break.

I was really feeling like a Scrooge by the end of my shopping because I just couldn't find the right thing for anyone. I really got behind on my shopping this year and wasn't finished until the 23rd and it was really hard this year. And to add to the drama, both my parents and my husband's parents live within 15 miles of us and so there was the holiday dilemna on where to spend the time. We wound up spending Christmas Eve with my parents, doing Christmas morning by ourselves, and then going to his parents for dinner. This is the second year that we have spent Christmas Eve with my parents and it's still weird to only see them open the gifts from us, and for us to open presents from them, but not to see what they got each other. My parents are big gift people and my mom spends alot of time on getting just the right thing for everyone. This year they gave us a big metal rolling table to use as an island in our kitchen, a clothes steamer, some clothes for me, some fun game stuff for my husband, and money to go and buy a video camera! It was way too much, but my dad got a promotion this year and wanted to share his good fortune with us. It was absolutely amazing! Our presents to them were very small in comparison, but they seemed to really enjoy them.

I set a spending limit for my husband and I on our gifts this year, because my husband tends to go overboard unless I reign him in. So, I told him that he couldn't spend more than $150 total, including stocking stuffers, and that he couldn't spend more than $60 on any one gift. I think he did pretty well on sticking to that... he got me the first two books in the Twilight series, my favorite perfume, some awesome stocking stuffers, and a gift certificate to take a cooking class at Central Market. In return, he got some big boy tools (a cordless drill and circular saw), new slippers, and a silly Wii game. I spent the morning going over the class schedule and trying to decide on which class to take. It's going to be hard because they have so many fun ones! My husband even said that if I enjoyed it, that we could take a class together, which would be a really great date night!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday and that you got all your heart's desires.

And here we go again...

2008-12-23T17:45:00Z

I tested on Friday, and like I expected, got a big fat negative. But, Aunt Flo still decided to wait until yesterday to make her appearance. Which got my hopes up over the weekend that maybe I had just tested too early. What I really think happened is that FF was wrong about my ovulation date. I was sick and might have been running a low fever during that week and that probably skewed things to show an early ovulation. I was going to hang on until Christmas Eve to test again, but AF showed up yesterday afternoon. Yippee. I called the pharmacy and am working on getting my Clomid prescription refilled by tomorrow, hopefully before they close for Christmas. Luckily my doctor's office is open until 5pm today so that the pharmacy can get the authorization done.

I was really doing okay about not getting pregnant this month, until yesterday evening when I was out shopping. Granted, I was already tired and emotional from work & the stress of last minute shopping, but I almost had a meltdown in Macy's, just because I walked by a rack of baby clothes! I was by myself and I started to hyperventilate because I was trying so hard not to cry. I had to leave the store, and I barely made it to my car before I just started sobbing. I felt like such an idiot, but after I cried it out, I felt better and was able to continue my shopping like a reasonable person.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and I'll see you next week!

Busy, but happy

2008-12-17T15:29:00Z

It has been a hectic couple of weeks for me, but it sounds like everyone else on here has been very busy too!

My birthday weekend was lots of fun, especially since I actually had a five day weekend (off Thursday-Monday). My mom and I spent Thursday shopping together, mainly exchanging clothes that I was given as a gift by my boss. So, it was cool to be shopping for new clothes, but not having to spend my money! Friday was a down day for me at home, just relaxing and doing some decorating and waiting for my husband to get back from his trip. Saturday night we went to my husband's holiday party at a local jazz club/restaurant. It was cool, but the set up was not great and we didn't see alot of people until right before we left because there was a whole room that we missed in the back. The food was great, though, so that made up for it a little. Then Sunday, 12/7, mine and my mom's actual birthday was spent at the Gaylord Texan. We ate dinner at the Riverwalk Cafe and then went to the ICE! exhibit. It was very cold, and kind of expensive, but it was sooooo worth it! It is absolutely amazing what those artists are able to carve out of blocks of ice. Monday I woke up with the most hideous cold sore that I have had in a long time. I am still struggling with getting rid of it!

My office holiday party was on Thursday of last week, and it was really nice. There are only about 60 people in my department, so we had a very intimate party. It was nice to spend time with my coworkers and their spouses outside of work. And it was also nice to not be the designated driver for the evening. Good food and a great Reisling make for a fun party! I probably could have driven us home, since I only had a couple glasses of wine, but my husband & I have a rule about that... whoever's event it is drinks, and the other one drives. It is just the smart thing to do.

On the TTC front, Friday is my test day for this cycle, but I'm not holding my breath, because my temp is beginning the downward slide that signals the start of my next cycle. And the Clomid really worked this month because I ovulated early in my cycle, instead of late. It kind of took me by surprise, but it was awesome to see that temp spike on day 14, instead of day 20 or not at all. So, cross your fingers and toes for me that my temp will stay high and I'll get a positive on Friday. I'll let you know at the beginning of next week what the result was.

Have a great and safe weekend!

How did I let a month go by?

2008-12-01T18:28:00Z

I can't believe it's been a month since I've written anything. I get on everyday and I read everyone's blogs, but for some reason, I just can't seem to get my own written. So, I guess it's time to update...

I guess the first thing is that I am really enjoying having all this time off! I haven't worked a full week since the second week of Nov, and I really think I could handle working part time. But since I know our budget wouldn't be able to handle that, I guess after the first of the year it will be back to working forty hours a week!

Secondly, I am so glad that my husband and I decided to try the Clomid route. Last month was the first time that I got actual crosshairs on my FF chart instead of the dashed lines. It was so nice to know that everything was actually working right! Of course, it wasn't the month but at least I know that it did what it's supposed to. I'm on my second round this month and am crossing my fingers that I get my Christmas wish! (Test day would be right around Christmas if everything goes right)

My husband is out of town this week doing a Cisco bootcamp for his CCNA, which is some kind of computer certification. He won a contest in Network World magazine and he is getting to take the course for free, and our company is paying for his meals and hotel since it will be beneficial for his job if he gets this certification, so even though I am going to miss him this week, it's all for the best. It will give me some time to get some shopping and Christmas decorating done, and I might even get some baking out of the way early, since I'm off on Thursday and Friday. Or I might just spend those two days with my mom to celebrate our birthday (I was born on my Mom's birthday 31 years ago) and since my dad is out of town, too, we might just have to do some retail therapy! Ha!

Glad everyone made it through Thanksgiving... now on to the Holiday parties and festivities!

Halloween, Anniversary, Election Night and other stuff

2008-11-05T14:15:00Z

Since I haven't written anything lately that wasn't about TTC, I thought today I'd share some other stuff...

Halloween: I work for a company that takes holidays seriously, especially Halloween! Every year there is a contest for all of the stations across the country to decorate a breakroom or gate podium. Our Customer Service Agents and Flight Attendants all dress up on Halloween and then send in pictures for another contest. And every year, the employees at headquarters get a day long party on Halloween. There's still work being done, but each department decorates, and most of them either do some kind of walkthrough/haunted hause or some kind of skit. Our CEO is famous for his costume choices and it's always top secret until the day of our Halloween celebration. He's been Gene Simmons from KISS, Wild Bill Hickock, Captain Jack Sparrow, Edna Turnblad from Hairspray, and this year he and two of his assistants were ZZ Top. I'm not a huge fan of Halloween in general, but I have to admit that working here has definitely improved my opinion of the holiday!

Anniversary: My husband and I celebrated our two year anniversary last night! We went out to dinner, had a glass of wine and exchanged gifts. I tried really hard this year to find something creative to match the traditional cotton gift, but I wound up getting him two pair of cotton pajama pants (so he can't complain about me stealing them anymore) and a flip screen video IPod player (I got it really cheap during a Woot off!). In return, I got an awesome new long sleeve cotton night gown from Victoria Secret and a big, fluffy, red spa robe! I was so excited about the robe because I've never had one before and it's really warm and snuggly! I can't believe it's been two years since we got married. We've done alot in that time, but it just seems like yesterday that we were walking down the aisle. I'm really lucky to get to share my life with him!

Election Night: Regardless of how you voted, the results of the election are historic and would have been either way. Had John McCain and Sarah Palin won, we would have had the first ever woman in the office of Vice President, but instead we have the first ever African-American president in office. I won't tell you how I voted, because it doesn't matter at this point, and I don't even share my voting history with my family, but I will say that it was a very tough decision for me. I have never voted straight party lines and I have always considered myself a moderate, so both candidates have views that I can identify with. My only concern is that there has been a good check and balance system for the last four years with a Republican president and a Democratic congress, and now there will be little of that. But I believe in this great country of ours and am proud to say I participated in this historic election.

Other stuff: (1) DWTS has been very lack luster in the last few weeks, so that's why I haven't written about it. I've been very disappointed in the dances and the overall enthusiasm of everyone. (2) I also have been very disappointed in TV in general recently. Nothing seems to grab my attention and keep me hooked. Hopefully the time between now and February will go really quickly and I can get back to my LOST fixation! (3) I cannot wait until we get our first freeze in Texas! My allergies are about to drive me off the deep end! (4) Starting the week after next, I only have three day work weeks until the end of the year! I had nine days of vacation left and when you combine that with the Thanksgiving and Christmas company holidays, I have a very tolerable holiday season ahead of me!

Hope everyone has a good day!

UPDATE on earlier post

2008-10-30T20:41:00Z

Thanks to the great suggestions and information from Edmo and Laura, and after calling my doctor and the pharmacy, it actually looks like I was making a mountain out of a mole hill! Yea! The reason I was originally so discouraged is because our insurance website estimated the cost at $300! So after talking to the pharmacy, it looks like that may have been six months of brand name, not just one month of generic. Getting emotional means I sometimes don't pay attention as well as I should, which my mother reminds me of alot. Anyway, the one month, or really 4 day, prescription is only going to be around $15. And my husband has talked to my doctor too, and gotten all of his questions answered, so we're back on the original plan.

Thanks again Edmo and Laura! Your encouragement and advice is appreciated more than you know!

Blessing in disguise?

2008-10-30T16:23:00Z

I'm trying very hard to view this latest news as positive, but it is hard when it changes my plans...

My doctor had recommended that we start Clomid at the beginning of this cycle (started yesterday) and I had done alot of research on the side effects and risks associated with it. My husband read everything that I gave him, but still had a few questions for my doctor and was getting ready to call and schedule a time to talk with her. However, he has not done that yet because I found out last week that our insurance covers only testing and diagnosis. Which means that they will not cover ANY treatment of ANY kind. When I first found out, I have to admit that I was very sad, and that when I told my husband I started crying about how unfair it is. I felt stupid for crying about it, but at the time, I was just so upset that they cover birth control and other preventative measures, but they won't cover even the cost of one prescription to help us when we want a child so much!

So no Clomid this go round. I'm continuing to chart and this most recent cycle was 30 days, with possible ovulation on CD19, but my temps were so spiky and my CM never approached egg-white or even watery, so who knows if I actually ovulated or not. Our insurance is so good in all other respects, that while it is frustrating, I do have to be thankful that we have good coverage for other things. We are going to continue on this path for at least a few more months and really focus on doing all we can naturally (yea for lots of sex!) and then if we still don't have any success, we'll re-evaluate Clomid or other treatments and start saving for those.

Sometimes you can't choose the path you walk, but you can always choose the attitude that you approach it with. My choice right now is to continue with my goal of getting healthier and to face this new challenge with a smile on my face. After all, I have a lot to be thankful for. (see my response to Edmo's post on luck!)

Jeeps, Football and the TWW

2008-10-20T21:08:00Z

So I didn't write anything last week because I honestly couldn't think of anything that was fun/cool/exciting/interesting about my life. Things were very quiet around our house for about a week and a half, and my husband and I didn't do much of anything except watch TV. That is until this weekend.

My husband is one of those people that stays up really late at night during the week and then sleeps until noon on Saturday. But this last Saturday, we got up early and were at the footbal field by 8:45. His oldest godson is eight and he is playing his first season of football. I have never been to a kids football game before, so I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I have to say it was probably the most fun I've had in a long time. The little boys are sooo cute! They haven't quite figured out that the pads help protect them from getting hurt when they hit someone or someone hits them so they just ran at each other and then at the last minute turn their heads and kind of bump chests. It is hysterical! After the game we went out to lunch with my husband's best friend, his wife and their two sons (hubby's godsons). We had a great lunch at IHOP and the boys were on their very best behavior which is a rare situation.

After lunch we went to a Jeep parts store looking for replacement seats for my husband's '79 CJ5 Jeep. It's his hobby car and we've been trying to find decently priced seats for about six months. We found two cloth seats for $50 each at this store, which was a steal, because they came in with the wrong mounting brackets. Luckily, all it took to make them work was drilling a few holes in the brackets and they worked great. We spent the rest of Saturday afternoon putting the seats in, and then went to dinner with a friend. While we were at the parts store, we also found new mirrors for the Jeep, but hubby didn't have the right wrench to put them on, so our friend that we had dinner with helped us out with that. The next project on the Jeep is going to be getting a new top and doors, but we'll have to save up for that.

Sunday was quieter, just watched some football and had chinese for dinner. I have a new found love of the Peiwei chopped chicken salad, and with some edamame, I think it was a pretty reasonable meal.

Now, on the TWW front... here's the link to my chart if your interested http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/22dd0e... I think FF hates me! Not really, but it is very frustrating. I don't know if I'm really ovulating or if it's just a trick of the temperatures, but both months that I've charted, I've gotten the dashed lines because my CM doesn't match up with my temps, etc. So, if I did O on CD19, then I am just at the beginning of the wait, but if I am not really ovulating then I'm just waiting for the next cycle to start so I can do all of this again. We are considering starting the Clomid next cycle, but my husband wants to talk to the doctor and have some questions anwered about how it might affect my health in the long run. He's very excited about having children, but he is also very concerned that Clomid has some dangerous side effects. I'm so lucky that he is concerned and that he is finally coming around about reading and researching things on his own. So, if you want check out my chart and tell me what you think, or just wish me luck in waiting this all out!