Fail

Our Real estate agent probably hates us.... I don't think we'll be buying that condo.  Ben was reading the minutes from their HOA meetings and we really don't like the management there.  We would have paid like $193 or something in HOA fees, which is high, and then he read that they just raised it 10% this year, and your responsible for your own HVAC stuff.  Not just HVAC, there were multiple things that they decided they weren't going to pay for anymore.  So why are they raising the HOA?  We don't know either.  and although it is really cheap... We are weighing more cons the more we look into it.  But good news is, we are looking at a house again!  I so love the idea of a house more than a condo or an apartment.  It is in WX, close to my parents but not too close, we would be in a different stake so we like that.  Its a HUD home, but it looks really clean from the pictures.  We're going to see it tonight, I'm so excited ;)  we drove by it Saturday and looked in the windows and from what we could see we really like it!  It would be so much less work than that condo or even the other houses we were looking into.  It has a great back yard = LOVE, a huge deck = LOVE, and the car port can easily be made into a garage = LOVE, especially for Ben.  We were wondering where he would put all his tools in the condo.  Anyways, I will keep updating as I know what we're doing.  Don't be surprised of changes but I hope we have finally found something!

Excitement... Not an initial reaction

Good day fellow Bloggers! Ben and I have been house hunting ever since he got this state job, and this is a great time to buy!... As long as you're not buying in southern Davis county.  Farmington to NSL is still so expensive to live in!  We really want to stay in this area though, where Ben works in SLC and I work here in B-town.  So after looking at well over 12 houses here in the area we decided unless we can deal with a 30 min commute to work (for Ben), we would have to find some compromise.  We found a little condo in Centerville.  It needs some work. Like a lot of work, both Bathrooms, new carpet, new tile, fix leaky plumbing, and the list goes on.  So, initially I am not excited, lets just say it isn't exactly livable by our standards.  You're probably thinking why the heck are they buying it!?  Well my friends we are going to buy it because it is only going to cost us $60,000!  Woot, that is a deal!  Ok, I will confess, I don't know for sure if they will accept 60, but we offered 64 and they said yes within 24 hrs, so we thought "hey, that was easy, maybe they will go lower?".  The worst they could do is say no right?  Then we just end up paying 64. No biggie, but we have to try. We can then very much afford to tear the place apart and put it back together the way we want ;)  I like that.  AAAnd, thanks to my very talented husband we can do it ourselves and avoid paying labor.  He does everything, plumbing, electrical, tile, paint, EVERYTHING!(and, I'm not a half bad assistant if I do say so myself)

So, although I was not excited initially, I am getting so stinking excited to make it our own.  Ben and I have a ton of fun exploring different ways to make it the sexiest condo ever ;)  We've already picked out our furniture (which we wont be able to buy right away cause of all the other projects, but still...).  I found this web site that sells expensive name brand furniture really cheap! 

Dining Room Table + Chairs (not the hutch or side bar)

Bedroom set:  Headboard + 2 nightstands 

And last but not least, our living room furniture

Complete set

That is 12 pieces of furniture for under $5 grand ya'll.  (the chairs are sold individually)  I'm sure there is a cheaper way, but not to get what we want, this is quality-I'm telling you.  And we would rather save and get what we want than settle for some DI furniture that is gross. 

I know thats kinda moving in the wrong direction, but we already know what colors, materials and so forth for the rest of the place, so why not have the whole thing planned out right?  Its so fun :)  I can't wait til I can post before and after's for you, then you will know how amazing we are ha ha just kidding, but seriously...

I guess at the end of the day, it sounds like I'm excited.  

 

Good Eatin'

I don't know what lit the fire, but I have been on it this week!  I'm not usually very good at making dinner, I'll admit.  Not because I'm lazy, or don't want to...but because I'm kinda limited on space, and that makes it very hard to do much.  I usually have to put my crock pot or rice cooker or even toaster on the floor cause there's no room on the counter (I know what you're thinking, what counter?).

That's all foks... thats my whole kitchen.

Anyway, I am pretty good with my microwave, and I have a little double burner that I can plug in.  Long story short, I get by.  So because I am so proud of my efforts this week, I thought I'd share what we had because it was delicious!  Now, I'm no food photographer so you will just have to trust me, some of these pictures may not look appetizing but it was; they all were.

Stuffed French toast.

for Breakfast... My first attempt, so yummy!

I wish we had some whipped cream, but maybe its good we didn't ;) 

Cajun Chicken with a Raspberry Mustard dipping sauce

This is just a sandwich, but I used my leftover Raspberry Mustard on it and it was so good!

Its easy, just Raspberry preserves and honey Dijon Mustard 

Ah, this was tonight.

Home made Cafe Rio my friends. 

 I had to take Ben's fork to get a picture, it was so good!

I got a great recipe from Giada at home, or whatever its called, for Beef pops with pineapple and parsley sauce.  My sister in law already made them, (I think she must watch Giada too) and they were really good, so I let you know how it goes.  I'm planning on making them tomorrow night.  

PS anyone who wants the recipes, just let me know which ones and I will post them, I didn't know if anyone would even be interested and that takes a long time to type up, but I am willing to share the deliciousness!

Thanks for reading!

Answers

Well, the Doc called yesterday and my HcG's went from 8500 to 1200.  Definitely a miscarriage.  I have to go in next week and have my blood taken, yet again, to make sure that my levels "resolve" so basically they will keep taking blood until my HcG is 5 or below.  With as quick as it dropped my hopes are for one more blood test and I can be done.  At least until the progesterone testing commences.

 I felt like I was handling it OK... until Ben got home, then I kind of fell apart.  I feel very blessed to have him and this experience has made me better, I hope.  I have had so much support from him, and good friends and family.  I also work with some of the most amazing people, who did not fall short on letting me know I was missed and that they were thinking of Ben and I.

Dr. B's wife made this beautiful flower arrangement for me, it smelled so good!

(I can't wait for spring)

And the office signed a card for me that made me cry. 

I also received a candy bar from Dr. B's daughter with a cute note from her family.  There is not a picture of it for obvious reasons...

Another one of the office ladies, who Ben and I served with in the Nursery for a year or more brought us each a cup cake from the sweet tooth fairy :)  Very delicious!  No ordinary cup cakes there.  Yum... again no picture.  Don't judge me.

I have so many wonderful people in my life, and so much to be grateful for.  I'm looking forward to bigger and better things, and I am optimistic that they will happen... in the lord's time.  I am so grateful to know there is someone watching over me who loves me and wants whats best for me, and I am grateful they see the big picture.  That is a real comfort to me.  I wish everyone had this comfort in hard times.  

I'm hoping I will have more happy posts from here on out, I hope my blog isn't depressing to read. Although it has so far been about the hard times, I tried to make it more about my experiences and what I am learning or feeling from those things experienced.  Thanks for reading and thanks for the love and support ;)  

 

The wild ride continues

So, Yesterday-Monday, I went in to the doctor's office to get checked out thanks to the eventful weekend.  I was told to be there at 9 AM and would see a Dr. Robinson (who is not my Doc.)  I ended up waiting an hour and a half for a Dr. Cannon (also not my Doc.)  A nurse takes me back and weighs me, takes my blood pressure, and pricks my finger.  Twice.  "sorry, I didn't get you good enough the first time".  Good news is, my Iron is good 14.9!  Sweet.  "OK, take off your bottoms and Dr. Cannon will be in to check you"....What?  I didn't know I was getting "checked"?!  Ok, bottoms off.  Dr. Cannon's nurse comes in and talks with me a minute about what happened over the weekend and says " I know so and so told you to take your bottoms off, but I think we will end up taking blood or doing another ultrasound, so go ahead and get dressed, she will be in in a minute."  OK!  Bottoms on, I'm good with that :).   A few minutes later, Nurse:  "Sorry, I know I told you to get dressed, but she wants to check your cervix, so go ahead and take your bott..."  Bottoms off, I know.  Finally, Dr. Cannon comes in and I will save you the grimy details, but can you say giant Q-tips and FORCEPS!?  Ouch, very crampy situation.  So cervix is closed, but that doesn't mean anything anymore.  Dr. Cannon:  "well, it sound suspicious of a miscarriage..."  I'll say!  So after I was able to get dressed and stay dressed, I got to go visit my friend in the basement of the clinic.  This poor guys probably knows more about me than he would like to.  I see him more than the average patient.  Poor, poor guy.  Anyway, so he had to take 2 vials of blood this time, because I didn't have a donor card or something to show my blood type. I think its O+.  I'm much improved at the whole needle in arm thing.  I still need to lay down, but I can do so without feeling faint.  Ya, I usually feel faint, even when I lay down.  Actually I usually faint.  So now I am awaiting my results to see if I get to do another ultrasound.  I have no expectations.  I would just like to know if my little pea is still alive or not!  So, we wait.  What a ride.

What a roller coaster!

Its been a Crazy weekend and we're only half way through!  I don't know if its appropriate to share such personal experiences on a blog, but I feel like I've learned a lot from going through the last couple weeks; so I am going to share.

Two or three weeks ago I found out that I was pregnant.  We have been trying since November so I was really excited!... And a little nervous.  I was having some issues that made me even more nervous and after having my blood drawn I was told my HcG was looking good and what I was going through is completely normal.  Well, my "issue" got worse and so I called the doctor again and had a blood test again (boo).  My numbers had more than tripled so everything looked good, but that just didn't make sense.  I was for sure she was going to tell me they went down and that I had miscarried.  What a pleasant surprise, right? What a roller coaster. Well because my issue was still getting worse, she had me go to the hospital where I had an ultrasound and a trans-vaginal ultrasound (sounds fun, eh).  Well to my surprise she found our little baby and we were able to see the little heart beat!  I almost started crying, I could not believe it :).  I was so stoked all morning, she even printed out a picture for me. 

 Anyway so I went to work that afternoon, and a few hours later I started getting kinda crampy.  I thought it might be from the trans-vaginal ultrasound (which was quite uncomfortable).  But as the afternoon went on the cramping came more often and got more intense.  Luckily I got home just in the knick of time.  Ben found me in the bathroom and as soon as I saw him I just started crying. I didn't think it would be so hard!  Until that morning I had thought I already lost it.  I think it was hard to see the heartbeat and then loose it the very same day.

  It was a rough night.  I sat in our apartment crying thanks to those wonderful cramps (screw natural labor, those chicks are crazy).  My wonderful husband was so good to check on me while managing Aud and Joe's kids, who we have for the weekend while they are out of town.   I feel a lot better today and I am doing my best to look at this from a positive angle.  I dont know the church's standpoint on the issue or if they have one, but my dad said something to me that made me feel TONS better.  He said that even though that baby didn't make it to see the world, it would still be mine in the eternities.  I think I believe that even if it isn't true, it gives me hope and makes me feel so much better.  I've also learned to trust in my Heavenly Father.  I know that I had that trial for a reason and I don't think I know exactly why yet, but I trust that my Heavenly Father has a plan for me and that He loves me and we are better for going through this.  I hope I can learn the lesson before we have to go through it again... but I am also grateful for the opportunity it gave Ben and I to grow closer together.  We have always had a wonderful close relationship, but I feel we are going through things lately that are taking us to new levels and I look forward to many more trials and blessing with him.
I have to go in on Monday for ANOTHER BLOOD TEST!  to check my HcG to make sure it is going down, and to check my blood type which depending on the result I may also need a RhoGAM shot.  I found out after the results of my second blood test that my Progesterone was low.  So now I have to go in for more BLOOD TESTS (I hate them) when I am not pregnant so they can see if that was the problem, and possibly get me on something for the next time.  Glad we figured that out now though so if that is the case we can prevent it for next time.  I'm so looking forward to becoming a mom... someday.  We will keep our chin up and be even more grateful when the day comes that we are blessed to be parents.

Suggestions...

Ok, I am very new to blogging, but I thought I'd give it a go!  Seems everyone's doing it.  If anyone has any tips on how the heck to make my blog cute (as you can tell I do not)  let me know where I can go to to get backgrounds and stuff like that :)