crafts galore.

Well folks... I have to say I LOVE having a normal life. Just working full time is the most incredible thing ever. I guess I had forgotten how good life can be, so stress-free...so much quality time. With working three nights in a row that leaves me 4 days of freedom. Pure bliss. I have been busy though....with creative endeavors. I will be posting about that later. But I thought I would give you a little sneak peak...

 lots of this adorable fabric

 making lots of strips

 learning how to use one of these fun gadgets (bias tape maker)

...and of course, enlisting matt to help...

I also realized, that while we are still trying to get pregnant....I understand now why people wait to have children after they are done with college. Matt and I were actually stressed out these past years. I hadn't even noticed it. We were used to just having zero free time, so why not throw a kid in the mix?! We are still happy people being soo busy...so we could love a child and be utterly happy being busy parents. Well, now I can't wait to have a normal nursing job- a good income, and have time to really enjoy having a child without the stress of school too. It doesn't change "the plan", its just an observation I made on week 2 of loving summer break. So we will love it if we do get pregnant now...or if it doesn't happen until later.

Back to these creative endeavors... I really miss planning our wedding, having the wedding week...the whole thing. There was something so incredible to be creative, to prioritize spending endless hours collaborating together...just Matt and I, about our future. I think this will be how buying our own home will be- the two of us (or three maybe?!) planning our dream home to live in forever. But right now in the meantime, I am working on something fun, something creative, something adorable, and something utterly exciting. And it involves one of my favorite sites, etsy.

a kiddo movie...

So I watched another documentary on netflix watch instantly: Nursery University. It was great.... and I greatly appreciate not living in New York...and it also helps me not regret my decision to leave teaching. This is a documentary on the rigors of getting accepted into preschool...in New York. It shows 5 families, all from different backgrounds going through the process. It is out of control! I had no idea. Its *almost* harder than trying to get into nursing school. Then if you get accepted, these schools are about 20K for a year. Unbelievable. The application process, essays, monetary donations, interviews, "play dates" aka kid interviews, then almost a year after applying comes the acceptance/rejection letters. The schools have about 500 applications for about 20 open spots (and only 500, because they cut off the number of applications that are dispersed within the first 2 hours). And, to think that teachers have to put up with this when all they probably want to do is teach the sweet lil kids- not feed into the parent's desires to guarantee that their child will get into Harvard. I would definitely recommend this movie. And for those of you who live in New York... I'm sorry, I feel for you....and I hope things have changed since this movie was made. I have a little twinge of this when I looked into daycare at the hospital I work at. I have to call them the day I find out I'm pregnant in order to be placed on the waiting list to have the best chance of having a spot. Haha... okay, sure... I'll call them right after my parents to tell them the good news.


...just for fun cuz I think "embeding" clips is the coolest thing ever...

sushi night...

Ever since our first (ever) date at Sushi Zen Mai in Boulder, Colorado Feb. 20th 2008...Matt and I celebrate the 20th of each month by going out to sushi. After eating out with our friends Erica and Will in colorado over christmas a few years ago now they told us about what a fun time they had making their own sushi...it all inspired us to make our own sushi. So we found a great fish market, to our surprise, right here in Boise, and we attempted our own sushi. It was fantastic and much cheaper than going out to sushi. It was a blast. And can you believe it actually looks like real sushi rolls?! Crazy. So after we got our cruisers, and went to the fish market....we made this wonderful 20th sushi night here at home.

[one of our favorites...salmon, cream cheese, avocado, crab leg, chives & eel sauce...yum.]

[ this amount is usually what we make...for two of us to be utterly stuffed...but comfortably stuffed]

[ we make nigiri...this one is yellow tail, then salmon with lemon, & escolar-the white tuna in the first picture]

not wanted: saggy couch.

So we have this couch, a craigslist find, that I like just fine.... its clean, leather-esq, and works well with our house. But its saggy. Super annoying. So we came up with a plan to fix it, that was FREE!!
-OSB board (that we happened to have laying around)
-cut to size.
-inserted.
-easy. done. not saggy.
-now I actually want to sit on our couch, because it doesnt swallow me up.
-its also very comfortable still, which I was wondering about.
-saves us about $600 for now...
-perfectly simple.

...cycles.

 [ Disclaimer ]

This post may be too much information for most of you... (like for our parents...or potentially our siblings...or even perfect strangers)...I guess that's the downside of having a non-anonymous blog...but if you care to read, please do! I know in trying to get pregnant that I love reading on other blogs about how other couples planned or didn't plan their pregnancy... timing... what they did... advice... and how its not always as easy as it sounds. And it's refreshing to hear real stories, brutally honest and all. So here is what I am up to...             

Ovulation Kits!
I chose to buy an ovulation kit because quite honestly I don't know what the heck my body is up to...like I've mentioned before. My cycles (which I now call them cycles instead of the ever so discouraging and constricting term "month") are anywhere from 23-52 days. Sweet, right?! Right. So when I tell people we are trying to get pregnant, they are kind enough to check in and ask again a month later with excitement in their voices...are you pregnant?! And... I have yet to even complete one cycle, nor do I know where I am at in that cycle...half way?! near the end? close to spewing all over the floor?! I haven't the slightest.

[ this is how the LH surge picked up in OPKs correlate to ovulation, found here ]

This month I couldn't bear to spend $126 for the clear blue monitor that I talked about here....nor the $30 for the 30 test strips [prices found on amazon]. I decided to go a much cheaper route, for now. I bought Target's (big surprise there right?!) Ovulation Predictor Kit (or the abbreviation OPK - I am new to all these TTC terms -Trying To Conceive). Its about $15 for this 20 strip package. I thought it was a good deal for an at-home science experiment.

 [ the kit contents ]

[ detailed instructions of positive vs. negative and what to do ]

 [look at this cute little container to hold all the strips]

I have been doing these OPK strips for this whole cycle so far (currently on day 17 of ?!)... and its been about the same result within the negative realm. Its kind of fun, its like taking a pregnancy test without the pressure...or shelling out the big bucks.

 [ may 11... negatory ]

[ may 18...also pretty negative ]

Basal Body Temperature

Ok... I have been majorly fighting this internal debate as to whether or not I should subject myself to daily temps. I know, I pee on a stick daily, why couldn't I just take my temperature?! Well I'm going to start. With the encouragement from jennifer- from girl of the grove, my acupuncturist, a few nurses at work, and many other TTC blogs...I will be trying this. I love making lists, and I also love making spreadsheets as it turns out. So I made an excel spreadsheet to chart my daily temps, cycle, work schedule, exercise, stressors, any "symptoms", and lots of other categories that I managed to squeeze in there. Its like journaling.... but easier and compact. So now, with my shreadsheet, temperatures are all of a sudden fun! I will keep you updated on what I find... if I was right about being all over the place with my irregular sleep schedule or if I was judging the method a little too quickly. I will however still refuse mucus checks.

Oh... but what did I decide to do about my night shift dilemma?! Well according to here, they said that after my night shift and I go to sleep in the morning/daytime...then after at least three hours of non-interrupted sleep I can take my temperature upon waking.

And what am I going to do if I get a dip in my temperature or a positive OPK?! I don't really know. I guess I will do some mad google searches at that point. Regardless of anything, we are doing the rabbit thing every other day... so do we need to change that schedule based on these science experiments? I haven't the slightest...

[ snapshots from the wksheet, I couldn't get the full wksheet in an image ]

If you happen to want my spreadsheet that I adapted from babyhopes that you can modify yourself... then email me! Otherwise I will be alone in this crazy worksheet world, color coding my little heart out :)

** update... I got a positive OPK test today- monday. I'm thrilled. That means (potentially) I'm ovulating. Sweet!!**

tiny needles...part II

Well, I guess I need to tell you about my thoughts on my acupuncture appointment.... it was ok. I have to admit, it was not as life altering as it was about 5 years ago. I think I would benefit more from deep tissue massage mixed in there. I need relaxation day to day, to incorporate it into my lifestyle. The truth is I am healthy...young... and need a less busy lifestyle- which is not going to happen. Like Sara over on feed the soil says- you can control the inputs, not the outputs. I can't control how busy my life is with my obligations but I can control how I respond to them. I did feel really relaxed from my appointment, it was great to be able to talk to someone about my thoughts, whats really going on with my body, and to be more mindful of all of the changes going on in my life...and how they effect me. So after my 2 hour appointment I decided a few things, a few things really resonated with me, and a few things I will just let go of.

What I can do:

• She thought that I had some liver imbalance issues...liver and spleen qi stagnation. And I agree with her. I know... I've gone off the deep end. But, I really do buy into this stuff. I think a good mix of eastern and western medicine is awesome. According to my symptoms...premenstrual and otherwise, i agree with those organs being the affected, and somewhat malfunctioning ones. So she gave me an herbal supplement- Xiao Yao San. This should also help increase my energy level, help regulate my menstrual cycle, keep blood flow moving, and relieve menstrual pain.

• Green-spirulina, wheat grassy and chlorophyll drink was recommended for detoxifying my liver. I will be buying this at the co-op and drinking it daily. There are about 500 to choose from, so I need a little more guidance from her on which would be best.
• I will continue to take these prenatal vitamins...that I get at Costco.

• Deep breathe. She said that each time you take a full deep breath you massage your liver... how sweet is that?! Or... gross. Either way, I feel so amazing each time I take a full deep breath that I need to do this more often. And more importantly...at work.
• Incorporate exercise into my week. When she asked me what I do for exercise...I tried to think about when do I actually have free time to exercise?! Well I didn't...and I don't prioritize it either. I told her that I am practically running 12 hours a day, hard at work. She didn't think this was so hot. She wants me to do something that I love, that gets me moving, my whole body energy flowing...not just burning calories like I do at work. So, with the help of these new cruisers...I will be biking, frisbee-throwing, and enjoying the outdoors. And I am thinking of taking a zumba or yoga class this summer...to be determined.
• Eat healthfully... which for me primarily means...reduce sugar (I think I'm a sugar addict). I love baked goods, I don't really eat candy bars, but I love cookies, muffins, hot chocolate...you get the point. I need to cut back. Its just as bad for my liver and pancreas to keep regulating my body with so much sugar roaming around in there.

What I can't do:

• She wanted to me to ideally not have sex for 3 months!! WHAT?! I laughed when she said this...I don't think she appreciated it. She would like for the weekly acupuncture appointments to take affect for 3 months, then have a perfectly calm, healthy, and ready body for pregnancy. I understand this however- pushing aside my instant thoughts of her not only making a ton of money off of me in 3 long months- but that these 3 months of summer break are going to be the least stressed out, healthiest my body will be. Once August comes I am thrown back into school and hectic schedule- so no... I will not be waiting 3 months.
• After this, she said well...ok... I won't be as rigid with you, you aren't having true infertility problems, so just let me know if you will be having sex. HA. Again. No thanks. I am all for being open...but seriously?! I am TRYING to have a baby. That requires sex, according to my research.
• Mucus checks and basal body temperatures... yep. She wants me to track those. And I just don't want to nor do I think my night shifts accommodate for consistent results. And I am sure that my adrenalin surges in true trauma situations at work don't work well with body regularity. Just a hunch.
• Weekly appointments... I don't really feel a huge connection with her to want to spend my hard earned money to go every week... the idea of dishing out that much money is stressful in itself. I think twice a month could be ideal.

officially summer break

FYI... its officially summer break. Hell yeah. Matt and I get our grown-up lives back.... so we went out and bought some cruiser bikes to kick off a summer full of yard-fun (not yardwork... we love it), projects, more nesting plans, cooking, hobbies... its here. I want to relish in every minute of it. And I think I will...and you should too!

Yes... we bought matchy-matchy bikes. It wasn't our plan in the beginning but these were so incredibly within our budget...that we had to get them. Plus they fit our styles... matt with all black- man's style bike and mine the girly white. And the deal is that once we have one of these...

and one of these...

 ...matt has to pull them on his bike. So he better love the way that bike feels.

So our first cruiser ride was to the reel food fish market..where we buy our sushi grade fish. Then we went to the park to throw the frisbee, boy we are out of shape!...then to the co-op to buy some beer, bread, and chocolate- pretty much the basics. And matt had this great idea to stop in at the wine co-op shop to see if they had any wood boxes to sell us... and they did!

This beauty was $6!! I plan on attaching it to my rack, when it comes in. I am going to do a little sanding and put a urethane finish on it and then I have a one-of-a-kind wood bike basket for our summer outings. So more on that project later.

We enjoyed the dogs, the beer, and our yard on this fine spring (summer to us) day.

Matt got tired of me trying to take pictures of us...the super fun extended arm- type of shots. Well turns out its super tricky with a heavy DSLR camera. But I think we will get better at it, whether Matt likes it or not.

{after this shot I said..."okay now...matt...this time smile!"}

{after this shot I said..."matt... put the beer down...and smile!"}

{after seeing this shot...I was laughing hysterically....}

{and while laughing hysterically I wound up with this shot...I'll take it & call it good.}

reminiscing...

Last year on this weekend I had the most fantastic bachelorette weekend in coastal california- shell beach to be exact with my girlfriends. It was a perfect weekend full of wine, great food, laughing, girl talk, some happy tears, sweet gifts, wine tasting with a picnic, pina coladas on the beach, and best of all being with my girlfriends from college-sister included. We are all craving another girls weekend, so this fall we will be doing a shell beach trip again...I can't wait. It's very much needed.

[beer, guac, humus, bread... who could ask for more?! all of us stayed at jamie's house the long weekend]

 [all of my super creative girlfriends wrote a haiku in which I had to guess who wrote it, then I would get a gift from them...we did one gift at each vineyard we went to...yes of course I cried reading their sweet words]

[of course each gift was was lingerie or something just as seductive... so I subjected all of the other wine connoisseurs to the little lacy numbers...and my tears of  utter embarrassment] 

[this beautiful wine country is where we all met and went to college together, these wine tasting trips would be just a normal weekend for us back in the day]

 [my sister made me this adorable flowerchild-esq veil for my head, it was actually just my style, I loved wearing it. I felt so special and loved this weekend]

 [jamie with a wino-dog, who happend to be the cutest thing ever]

[tracy who is currently in new zealand living the life!]

[sara and my little sister, kelsey...both who live in boston working on becoming nurse practitioners]

[all of us at the honeymoon cafe in pismo beach...just adorable coffee shop]

 [andrea-a great friend that I met from semester at sea who lives in San Fran]

[ jessica (of barefoot designs) who took all of these lovely pictures (minus this one of course)]

[the amazing spread of trader joes goodness]

[ a short walk (like 4 house widths) from jamie's house to the beach]

[the beach next to jamie's house where we enjoyed wine and incredible conversation]