Oh Sigh...

Now, that I've had a few days to process and not be a complete emotional mess on here, I'm disappointed to say that the third time (with IUI) was not the charm for us :(  I didn't feel like it was going to be, but that doesn't mean I still didn't get my hopes way up. 

We've set up an appointment with the doctor on January 3 and we'll find out more about our options then... Mostly likely IVF (I'm seriously ready to get this pregnancy thing started), but we'll see.  And while I kind of hate to admit it, waiting until the new year to meet with the doctor will give us a month off from medications and follicle scans, and negative pregnancy tests... I'm a little relieved. It'll be nice to have a month off from the all the stress and pressure. Yes, I realize I put the stress and pressure on myself... I bought a new yoga for fertility dvd to try and combat that - no judging please! 

But stay tuned... I know this is going to happen eventually! 

Best Pot Roast EVER!

And as promise the best pot roast recipe I have ever tasted and I do consider myself to be a pot roast connoisseur! I was a little hesitant about this one, but it truly is the best pot roast ever!  It's stora stolen from Marie's Cooking Adventures (I hope she doesn't mind) it's also the easiest recipe I might have.  Here's how it works: 

Ingredients:

• 2-5 lbs roast  (I used a rump)
• 1 envelop ranch dressing mix
• 1 envelope Italian dressing mix
• 1 envelope brown gravy mix
• Potatoes and baby carrots (Enough to fill the bottom of your crock pot)
• 1/2 medium onion (I added this on my own, because everything is better with an onion)
• 1 to 1 ½ cups water
• Couple handfuls of egg noodles (added this on my own too, because everything is better with carbs.)

Cooking:

1. Place quartered potatoes, thick cut onion and carrots along the bottom of the crock-pot.
2. Put roast on top of veggies.
3. Sprinkle all three envelops of mix on top.
4. Add water.
5. Cook on low for 6-10 hours. (And Miss Marie is right, the longer it cooked the better it tasted!)
6. Last 20-30 minutes, add the egg noodles.

Enjoy!

We're going to have a new hang out this summer!

Steve's parents have decided to build a new house down at the lake and it's going to be Fab-u-lous! The family has a two story, 6 bedroom, 5 bath masterpiece coming down the pike and I for one couldn't be more excited.  Not only will we have more kitchen space, but a walk out basement and a short skip down the hill to the dock... No more driving to the marina! (Can you tell I'm doing my best to not use an exclamation mark at the end of every sentence?) 

Any, who... Steve and I made the short drive down Friday night and spent most of Saturday and Sunday just checking out the construction site and letting the dogs go for a swim.  Well... Woody swims, Wendy just wades gracefully at the edge of the water... and then rolls in the sand.  Check out some of the visuals! 

Oh... and I made a pot roast in the crock-pot that was to die for; I'll be sharing that recipe later!

Construction sit

Front of the house

Back of the house

The new view

Front of the house from the oposite side

My cute hubby in his work boots!

Only Woody swims in December

Wendy is getting a bath ASAP!

Feeling Positive… Now, if the test would just reflect that!

We are now well past the "1 year of trying" mark and believe it or not, we're feeling the more positive about the process than ever. For the last three months we've been seeing a team reproductive endocrinologist in Cincinnati and I believe they will be the secret to our success... even if we end up going the IVF route, but for now here is where we stand.

We’re on our third cycle IUI or intrauterine insemination, which consists of Femara, HCG Trigger Shot and IUI.  If you’re unfamiliar, it basically the Femara signally my ovaries to grow big healthy follicles (eggs), then the HCG trigger tells my body to ovulate and finally the IUI is the doctor injecting Steve’s “boys” into uterus.

We’re really feeling like the 3^rd time is the charm and sometime around Christmas we’ll find out if we get the best Christmas present ever or if we’ll have to go back to the drawing board.  And at that point I’m pretty sure they’ll advise us to go with IVF. Some people might find IVF scary, weird or disappointing, but I’m so ready to be pregnant and have that baby that I don’t really care how we get there. And if you’ve never been through this process, you have no idea what a stress relief it is to finally be where we are – I finally feel like I’m not going to spend years being disappointed month after month! 

Just wish us some extra luck or say a prayer for us over the next two weeks that the home pregnancy test finally comes back positive!

The Journey Continues...

So, I guess I should do a little catch up - June was a while ago...

Since then we've celebrated a few birthdays, my 27th and Steve's 28th. I know we're not that OLD but man do I feel like it sometimes - I couldn't tell you the last time I saw the inside of a bar or felt like staying up past midnight.  BUT, we're still young enough to enjoy a good Funfetti cake!

Other big news, I started another new job at the Marriott Griffin Gate.  The SmartEd position was in fact too good to be true! The parent company was experiencing financial difficulties and I was part of a mass layoff. But, I've come to accept that it was probably for the best, when this baby thing works out I don't need to be driving all over creation and for the most part I enjoy the Marriott job.  It's great o meet new people everyday and the staff there is young and fun.   And the REALLY good news is, I'm not that busy during the day so I'm going to make a real effort to blog more!  And not just the big stuff, but the little things that are apart of our lives everyday.

Moving on... of course we hit up a few Ohio State games this fall! Go Bucks!

We only had ONE wedding to attend this fall and it was a great one!  Steve's friend from high school, Beth got married at St. Julie's in Hamilton and had the reception at the Courtyard.  We had a great night catching up with Steve's friends from high school and dancing to all the FUNK music!  Plus, I think I worn the more trendy dress I've ever owned!

And to round out the last couple of months, we're at Christmas!  Check out our beautiful (slightly skinny) and totally fake tree!

I was planning updating you on our fertility (or is it infertility?) journey, but I think we've got enough already - Maybe tomorrow!

CSA = Creative Cooking!

This is our second summer participating in a CSA and we love it just as much as we did the first summer!  For those of you not in the know - CSA is community supported agriculture.  We pay a fee in the spring and then once a week from May to October we pick up a large basket of veggies!  We even split the cost/veggies with a friend and it's generally more than we can it - it's AWESOME!


Except for when you receive something and you either don't know what it is or don't know how to prepare it... that's where the creative cooking comes into play.  And by creative I mean googling the veggie to see what other people have done.


This past week we receive beets... yes those ugly little redish, purple roots!  I was unsure what to do with them, but ran across a Tomato and Beat Salad in Martha Stewart's Everyday Food - we liked everything else in the recipe so I thought I'd give it a try.  It was tasty and now we know we like beets!  See if you do.


Martha Stewart Tomato-Beet Salad
1 lb scrubbed small beets
2 lb sliced tomatoes (heirlooms/yellow)
1 pint halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup cilantro leaves*
extra-virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste


*I used basil, because that's what I had in my planter and it tasted great too!


Preheat oven to 400. Seal beets in foil packet and roast until tender 60 -75 minutes. When cool, rub beets with paper towel to remove skins; (This didn't work for me, I had to use a potato peeler.) slice. Slice tomatoes and halve cherry tomatoes.  Arrange beets and tomatoes on platter. Top with feta, cilantro, olive oil, salt and pepper.  


Enjoy!

Catching Up!

Wow... I'm really bad at this.  I clearly do not post often enough.  Let me do a little catch up - We've been busy since February. 

At the end of February, February 29 to be exact, we celebrated the first anniversary of our first date! I can honestly say I knew that night I'd marry Steve, so it's fun to reminisce.  

In March / April I started a new job!  I'm now selling SMART Boards to the Lexington and Eastern Kentucky areas - I couldn't be more happy!  It's an awesome job and I'm loving that fact that I'm helping kids learn and grow.  And if you're kid's school does not have SMART Boards they are really missing out on a key educational tool!

Our newest niece was born in April as well!  We helped Diane and Chad welcome baby Valerie into the world on April 16th.  See how cute she is!

Woody & Wendy are doing great!  We've finally managed to train Wendy to potty outdoors! 

It's been years, but I attended a very CUTE dance recital! These is our niece Vivian she was the cutest little bear in the show!

And we've already made two trips down to the lake. 

In May Steve finished his first year of Orthodontic residency! Whooo Hooo! Only 2 more years to go!

We've got a very busy summer planning so I promise to be more attentive to the blog!

Plan B... Part II

As some of you may already know we got some shocking (and when I say shocking I mean Steve dealt with it calmly and rationally, I cried.)  news a few weeks back.  I have Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, which basically means my hormones are goofy and getting prego is going to be a little more strategic than we had originally thought.

Seriously it's not as scary as it sounds and surprising common - depending on what you read - one in ten to one and fifteen women suffer from this.  The shocking part - I'm not the ideal candidate and honestly it sucks to learn that there's anything "wrong" with your body.  But according to the doctor it's a mild case and we've worked out a plan to help us bring our little bundle of joy into the world.

So sorry for the melo-dramatics a few weeks ago... But I do ask that you keep us in your prayers.

Plan B

Well, friends I have had one heck of a day.  It's not been terrible and it could have been much worse, but it was still one of those days when you realize you've got to go with plan b or better yet put a little faith in God and let him lead the way.

More to come later...

Welcome 2012

So, I swore I was going to be better about posting blogs in 2012 - it's day 10, how do you think I'm doing?

I also swore I was going to get to work on time and so far I'm doing great! Been there before 9 am every day So take that haters!

But in all seriousness I happen to be one of those people that believes in resolutions and am genuinely disappointed (in myself) when they're not met. I am also a person that believes in setting realistic resolutions so I do make it a little easier for myself. Allow me to share a few with you.

1. Get to work on time
2. Stay at a healthy weight (maybe exercise more - 3 days a week instead of 2) 
3. Help Steve have a successful first year in Ortho school
4. Blog more - we're talking memories here!
5. Take more pictures
6. Create more photo/memory books (Think Shutterfly)
7. Have a healthy baby (Secrets out - we're hoping for a little bundle of joy in 12) 
8. Master new responsibilities at work (Tradeshow management, increase sales) 

See what I mean - realistic, except for maybe the get to work on time thing.  Kidding - I have a feeling the pregnancy thing is going to be a little more tricky. But we're putting a lot of faith in God and Steve's really not complaining about the constant practice!  So keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we start this next adventure in our life together.

Happy New Year!  May it be blessed!