The Final Countdown & The Move

I'm in my final weeks of pregnancy. Everything feels big, I feel extra clumsy, and my 12 hour work days are getting harder and harder to get through.  I worked 3 in a row over Memorial Day weekend…not by choice…and I woke up on Tuesday feeling like I had been hit by a truck. Yee-uck. :(

My mind is starting to race at night too…I guess that's pretty normal when your nerves set in and the fact that you are about to bring a tiny human into this world to raise as your own starts to become more real. My husband has been sleeping like a rock LOL! Actually, he has worked SO hard for us the past few weeks, with the move and baby prep and with his own job, that he deserves a good nights sleep.

I had another weekly check-up yesterday. Still no progress. My mom said to expect that since it's my first.  I was just hoping for SOMETHING. Nothing huge. Just something! But apparently our little nugget is nice and snug with his momma and that's where he wants to stay for the time being :) Hubs said he was already showing his stubbornness that he obviously got from me…rude ;)

We moved about two weeks ago into a new house on the other side of town. I wouldn't suggest it at the end of your third trimester…but for as crazy as those couple days were, I'm so thankful that we did. We love our new house and we are slowly getting it unpacked and settled.  My husband actually walked over to me while I was laying on the couch (which I feel like I do a lot of these days) and kissed me on the head and told me how happy he was. 

Melt my heart :) :) :) :)

I am so thankful for all the family that came to help us move. My mom essentially spent two whole days painting the nursery and didn't even complain even though I knew her back was hurting. My dad, two of my brothers, and my SIL helped pack and load heavy furniture. 

My in-laws came and helped too. My father-in-law's "gift" is service. He wants to fix and hang and repair and put together and build…etc. and it's very good at it. He actually came over the weekend while I was working and put a doggy door in for our little furball. Marley is so pleased that he can come and go as he chooses :)

Hubs and I actually just celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary (time FLIES!) and the first official day of the move was how we celebrated. My husband did not complain one time…although I may have grumbled a bit. We actually took my in-laws to dinner after the longest day ever, so we haven't even had an official "anniversary dinner" yet. We should probably try to squeeze one in before baby boy makes his debut :)

I've spent the past few days I've had off doing baby laundry, hanging up baby clothes, and trying to get our house in somewhat of an order before total chaos begins :)

Side note:  Dreft is the best smelling detergent ever. 

That's pretty much all that is going on these days. It's just a waiting game!

And we are pretty excited about it!!!

'Tis the Season,

Holly

Not Our Wisest Moment

My husband and I are in the middle of buying a house/selling our current house. 

Sounds good, right? 

Oh did I mention that I am 8 months pregnant during this process?

I don't have my "nest" put together and it's slowly eating away at my brain and driving me up the wall. I have all the pieces, thankfully, and the bedding is going to arrive sometime next week in the mail. :) SO.EXCITED. But no nest. No nursery set up currently. :\ eek

We have been looking at houses for several months now, but mainly online. At 7 months pregnant, my husband decided to call about a house and we went to look at it a few days later. 

I kind of fell in love. Partially because it's a great house and partially because it's only a few short minutes away from my parents' house and this baby will be here sooner than later. 

WIN-WIN

We put an offer in and it was accepted. 

Now…long story short, we are in the midst of showing our house, trying to close on the new house (the sooner the better), and trying to not have this baby before we move. 

I'm fine….totally fine……

Also, I am not much help during this whole packing process and it makes me sad…ish. Thankfully my husband and my awesome mom have really helped with everything. Snaps for them!

:) Prayers are appreciated.

Sorry this is so short, but this mama has a lot on her plate at the moment!

'Tis the Season,
Holly

Moving Mayhem Part 2

Our moving story in pictures...

sort of...

This next one makes me want to cringe. 

first time movers...YIKES.

yes he did push the couch up that closer to the tv...law

Another cringe-worty photo.

What happens when you find out you suddenly have to move within a limited number of weeks.

moving is exhausting

hot & sweaty after unloading the uhaul

chit-chatting with the Uhaul man

first lunch in our new/temporary place...on the floor :)

too many clothes

the freaking tv had to stay until the last possible minute. we slept on the floor. the dog actually had more of a bed than we did. it was fun :)

bye-bye first home! 

Sorry for the no make up photo :\

Moving Mayhem Part 1

I'm ALIVE!

You know when you have been underwater for a considerable/uncomfortable amount of time and you finally break through to the surface and gasp for air?

Yeah..that has been me for the past few weeks. 

I have felt like I have been so limited lately and now I can finally post about life again!

I'll hit the highlights for ya:

1) We have moved and are currently living in my parents house that is for sale,

so we can save and find a place of our own.

2) I have started nursing school and Aaron has started his new job! :) YAY

3) We FINALLY have internet.

4) We STILL don't have cable.

5) We may or may not be using a dorm room sized refrigerator until we find one within our price range.

6) Marley is a terrible dog and won't even spend any time out in the wonderful backyard he now has, which aggravates his parents to no end. ;)

I think that's about it for now...except for the fact that half of our stuff is still packed away because we don't know when the house will sell which means we have to be ready to re-pack and move again when that day comes.  

I'm trying to keep this place cute for when the realtor brings a prospective buyer by. It's SO strange living in a place that my family lived in previously for 5 years. But it is such a blessing that we are able to do so and save some money in the meantime.

I am loving this new adventure in our lives.  We aren't really home owners, but we have a "place of our own" for now and don't have to deal with annoying barking dogs or crazy neighbors that have parties until the wee hours of the morning all of which are one, thin wall away.

Aaron and I are having so much fun. It has been so great to be back closer to friends and family. Moving was quite an adventure. We each had our ways of wanting to do things. My father-in-law and brother-in-laws helped us load the UHaul in Fayetteville. My mother-in-law sat inside and watched Marley while we all went in and out of the doors. I am grateful for our families and all of their help. 

Here's our short moving story:

We got the UHaul early on Thursday (the 17th) night and loaded it up and took it down that same night. We spent the night in Bryant and unloaded the UHaul the next morning. While returning the UHaul, my husband befriended the UHaul man and they talked about real estate/buying and selling farms for literally 30-45 minutes while I sat in the car and watched the clock impatiently. Once they were done, we grabbed lunch in the car and headed back up to Fayetteville.  We loaded up my car and Aaron's car and decided to spend the night in the townhouse one last time because we were already exhausted. Saturday morning we got up, took both cars down, unloaded and went to Conway where we picked up my parent's suburban and drove one last trip up to Fay. We spent the night in Conway that night after getting the final load of stuff from the townhouse and then drove back to Bryant Sunday morning where we unpacked and slept because we were absolutely drained.

Long story short, moving STINKS. 

We also have different theories on loading and unloading cars. Aaron just wants to unload it all and then once it's all out, start taking things in. I want to take thing inside as I unload them because it just makes more sense in my mind. :)

Let me see if I can find any pictures of our moving adventure and I'll post them as "Moving Mayhem Part 2" 

I feel tired just recounting that story for you.

Maybe it's time for a nap.

(Just kidding)

Have a lovely day,

HOLLY

Miss Arkansas 2012

Last week I traveled down to central Arkansas to hang out with my family and help them during the moving/new house ready-ing process. 

But, one of my main reasons of visiting was to attend the annual Miss Arkansas pageant with my mom.  My mom, Mrs. Sherri Phelps, her daughter Blair, and I have made it an annual get-together. I think this is our 5th year to attend together. It is so much fun and I have had friends in the pageant every year. PLUS, the OBU girls always make me proud! 

My mom and Mrs. Sherri have been life-long friends. They were young married-couple friends in college and they have stayed close friends throughout the years. My dad and Mr. Billy are basically "brothers from another mother" as it goes. They are two peas in a pod, cut from the same cloth....the jokes go on and on! When I first visited OBU (my senior. yr of high school) for an event for incoming students, my parents arranged me to stay with Blair (who was a freshman) and ever since we have become great friends. She and her husband Eric are some of our favorite couple friends and Blair is one of my best friends. 

I had two pledge sisters in the pageant and both did a great job and made Top Ten! There were 8 OBU girls in the pageant and SEVEN of them were EEE's! Blair and I were such proud OBU/EEE alumni! 

Night 1.

me & Blair

Night 2

(after) Night 3. 

Clark had his finger over the flash.

Night 4.

I have such a cute mom :)

Blair & I.

mom & Mrs. Sherri

I had such a great week with my family and seeing my friends! The new Miss AR 2012 is Sloane Roberts. She has been in the pageant before and was also Miss Teen AR one year. She is adorable and will do a great job. My friend/pledge sister Bethany got in the top ten and was 2nd runner-up. My other pledge sister Abby made top ten as well. All of the OBU girls won different awards! I was proud to know them! 

The other purpose of my trip was to help my family move and ready their new house in Conway. We moved boxes, furniture, appliances and were road warriors all week. My grandparents helped us take some things over on Friday while my mom got up at 4:30am and drove to get Joshua at camp in MO. She got home at 4pm and still got all cute for the pageant. What a trooper. But, back to my grandparents...We loaded up the trailer with a bunch of different pieces, random pieces LIKE A SKEET SHOOTER (lawd) while their truck bed held the refrigerator, washer, and dryer. 

I FELT SO REDNECK!

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, stared at us barreling down the highway at 7 in the morning. :/ 

Talk about being mortified. 

Here's some proof:

YES. This happened. 

I love my family despite the fact that I wanted to wear a paper bag over my head during that seemingly LONG drive to Conway from Bryant. I am thankful that they will show up at the door at 6am willing and wanting to help my parents move.

They sure do keep my life entertaining. 

:)

-HOLLY