This Adventure Called Life

Catching You Up

2011-06-11T07:15:00.000-05:00

I just noticed that my last post was dated March 2, 2011. That was like, literally, forever ago.
Here's a quick overview to get you up to speed on the Anderson household.

(DISCLAIMER: This post is very long, and very photo-heavy...don't say I didn't warn you!!)

I started back to work mid-March. In my ongoing effort to keep myself humble, I am working as a housekeeper for a family in Daphne. It's been a pretty good fit so far, they are super flexible and totally not micro-managy, yay! I'm there 4-5 days a week for about 5-6 hours a day, so not too bad!

Aiden turned the big 1-OH!! On April 1st. We had a small little shindig for him at a local park, and he quickly realized that he was the S-T-A-R of the show. My boy is nothing if not accommodating, so he hammed it up as only a newbie toddler could. We had a great time, and it was really special to see all of our family loving on my little one. My wonderful and talented sister-in-law served as our party photographer, and see got some great shots.

She also treated us to a beautiful family photo session down by Fairhope pier the next day. As some of you may remember, she took our pregnancy photos there last year too! Love the before and after baby pics, so special! Thanks again Michelle, you are amazing!

I finally got around to running that Half-marathon I'd been training for for-EVER. It was a beautiful course, down and back along Pensacola Beach. I felt so accomplished and relieved to be able to check that off my bucket list. Funny thing is, I really enjoyed it. In fact, I plan on doing another one in November, and possibly a full marathon next Spring (if I can find the time to train....doubtful with a hubbie in EE classes and a toddler, but here's hoping!)
Some pics from the race:


Not a fan of sand, that one...

My genius husband finished up his first semester back at USA, and made the President's List!! I plan on framing it! There will be many more where this came from I'm sure. So proud of my honey!

We bought a new car last week-woo hoo!! Aaron's Maxima was getting pretty repair-hungry, guess she really liked our new mechanic. We decided to break off their relationship as it was getting pretty costly. So after MUCH deliberation and debate, we decided on a 2012 Honda Civic. It is a beauty, and I totally wish that I was the one driving it everyday! Oh well, at least we have one solid, dependable vehicle (under warranty for the next 6 years/80,000 miles). Aaron should be long finished with school before we need to do anything more than an oil change on her, so that is a definite relief!

Aaron started his Summer classes two weeks ago, Cal-based Physics and Macroeconomics. The Macro sounds okay, but he can keep that Physics business. He's doing great so far, (no surprise there) and made a 100 on his first Macro test.

Whew, there's a little glimpse into the past few months at our house, now you may understand a little better why my post is so long overdue!! Stay tuned for more adventures from the Anderson household...we have a busy summer in store!

Aiden's birthday party invitation

2011-03-02T22:35:00.000-06:00

I am so excited about Aiden's upcoming birthday, and I knew that I wanted to create his invitation on Shutterfly so that I could put a few of those many, many pictures I have taken (1000+) over the past 11 months to use. The best part? I used two different coupon codes and got all of the invites for FREE (yes, free!)

Twelve Months Blue Birthday Invitation

Send funny birthday cards with Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

New Year, New Town, New Goals

2011-01-18T10:28:00.000-06:00

Our New Year is underway, and we are starting with a bang! In the past two months we have moved back home to Alabama, Aaron has enrolled and started back to college, Aiden is pulling up and attempting to walk, and I continue to job hunt...whew!!

The holidays were such a whirlwind with packing and trying to get ready for our move. We weren't even sure where we were moving, we just knew that we had to be out of our house in Niceville by the end of December. Aaron's mom graciously offered to let us move in with her, but with Aaron's brother Zac already living there, and the house only being a 2 bedroom I think everyone was relieved when an apartment came open just in time!

One of the many awesome things about moving back home is that we are now less than 15 minutes away from my mom and sister, and Aaron's mom and grandmother. We have already had TWO date nights since we've been back, as many as we have had total since Aiden was born.

We are finally getting settled into our new apartment, and Aaron is starting his first day of class as we speak. He will be working towards his EE degree, so the next 3-4 years are going to be TOUGH, but we are both excited that he finally has the opportunity to do this. He has wanted to go back to school since before we met, and it's finally the right time-so here goes!

I am so behind with posting pictures, so here is a smattering of pics from December...

First time in a real swing-loved it!

Seeing Aaron's nana off to Peurto Rico-she is looking at her hand because Aiden just bit her...

Bathtime fun

Birthday Party for Jesus

Eating Ornaments...don't worry, it's plastic

Operation Scope out how to get the shiny balls underway

Umm mom, who the heck is this guy? Why is he holding me? I know you are not going to leave me with him, right?!

Pulling up-determined baby

Christmas haul

Rocking with daddy...totally more interested in the bow


The best family picture we managed all day...seriously...

His finger is always in his mouth...

Well that gets you caught up through December...I finally broke down and bought more storage for my Google/Picasa account-just imagine if I had a shiny new DSLR camera...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year-better late than never right?!

Life...Interrupted

2010-11-17T15:17:00.000-06:00

The past few weeks are a bit of a blur; Aaron's father passed away very unexpectedly the last week in October, and since then things have been very chaotic and just plain stressful. Things have changed with Aaron's work situation, so it looks like we will be moving back to Mobile/Eastern Shore and going back to school!!

Actually, we are not sad about the school part, just the leaving Niceville part. Oh well, sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards. Aaron will be working towards a degree in either Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, and God willing I will ace my GRE and start my Masters program for Psychology next Fall!

Aiden has been the bright spot in this dark time, and I have some great pictures of him over the past few weeks, so here goes:

7 Months Old!!

Happy Boy

Getting ready to watch some football!

War Eagle Baby!!

Flying with dad

Look at those baby blues

Unfortunately due to the circumstances we didn't get to dress up and take Halloween pictures..guess that means next years costume will have to be twice as cute!

I can't believe next week is Thanksgiving...wow!! I hope you all have a safe and happy Holiday!!

Check it Out!

2010-10-13T07:24:00.000-05:00

I am guest blogging today on The Domestic Wannabe. So if you've ever wondered just what a ~~lady of leisure~~ stay at home mom does all day, go check it out! It's fascinating stuff I tell ya!

But first, I have to brag on the little man-he has perfected his army crawl!!! Blogger doesn't seem to like my video, but click the link below to watch it on YouTube.

Thundercats are Go!!

Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-10-08T20:34:00.000-05:00

I made these muffins today and they are so, so good. I didn't do a step by step with photos because, well, the pioneer woman already did that, and her camera is WAAY better than mine. You can find her recipe here. The picture is also hers, because mine didn't quite look as lovely. But they tasted great, and that's what counts in this household. Make these this weekend, I promise you won't regret it (well, your jeans might, but your stomach won't!)

Happy Friday everyone!

6 Months Old

2010-10-03T21:51:00.000-05:00

Friday my baby boy turned 6 months old...I am in total shock that 6 months has already gone by, and I just can't get over how much Aiden is changing everyday! I know every parent says stuff like this, but it's really true!

Ready for Fall!!

This past month has been a big one, baby boy has started on solids as I posted not long ago, and he hasn't met a food yet that he didn't like-well, we did try bananas tonight and he wasn't such a fan. But in his defense he was very tired, had already eaten sweet potatoes, and the bananas were the consistency of slime...I probably wouldn't have liked them either, and bananas and I are likethis.

We also started offering a sippy cup with a little water, and he loves that too, although he still hasn't figured out that it would be so much easier to hold the cup with two hands as opposed to one.


The cup looks bigger than his head!

Aiden is proficient in all types of rolling: forward, backward, the side roll, any type that can get him somewhere. This boy is ready to move. He still hasn't mastered sitting up yet, but he's getting there. We have been hanging out at the park a lot this past week, which we both love. We lay there out under a blanket and read, and he tells me stories (I'm not sure what they're about yet, but they sound really exciting!!)

Aiden continues to love bath time, and spends most of the time trying to fit his feet as far in his mouth as possible. Before Aiden started this trick I was unaware that one could choke themselves with their own toes...hmm, guess you learn something new everyday!

Aiden continues to be such a fun, expressive, sweet boy. He is very independent, and he'll let you know when he's upset, but he has such a good nature. I love all the smiles that he shares with us!

Playing guitar with dad

I finally got a jogging stroller, so Aiden gets to go on most of my runs during the week, which judging from the picture below I think he definitely likes-

Friday we had our first "playdate" with my friend Erin and her daughter Brenna-okay maybe it was more a mommy hang out time, but the kids were diggin it. We hung out at Destin Commons and had lunch-I totally meant to take more pictures, I did manage to get a couple.

Erin and her daughter Brenna-how cute is she??!!

Hangin out at Zoe's Kitchen-

Little Aiden, you are halfway through your first year of life. The days are going so fast, and I am trying to hold onto as much as possible, to drink in the marrow of life with you. You are so joyful and happy, and you are a constant reminder to me to stop and enjoy every moment.

I'm savoring them all, and life is so good.

Solids?? Yes please

2010-09-27T11:30:00.000-05:00

We are two weeks into our new solids feeding routine, and walking in the footsteps of his momma, my boy loves him some food! We have been doing the rice cereal thing for a couple weeks now, but last week we introduced sweet potatoes-a big hit!

I am making Aiden's baby food myself, which is easy and inexpensive. The added bonus is that I know exactly what's going into it. Tonight we are going to give peas a chance, wish us luck!

He loves to grab the spoon and try to feed himself; this must be closely monitored to avoid any unpleasant eye-poking fiascos

A Great Visit...

2010-09-24T09:08:00.000-05:00

So I mentioned last post that my dear friend Bethany came to Florida visit us for a week. Bethany and I have been friends for as long as I can remember, and then some. She is the type of friend that comes around once in a lifetime. Bethany now lives in the Big Apple, which means that our visits are few and far between. The great thing about a friend like her is that when we do get to be together it feels like we always have been, and the distance doesn't feel so far.
The week was full of sand, surf, seafood and Sonic (the strawberry cream slush is ah-mazing, and NYC doesn't have Sonic!!) Bethany has a great SLR camera-here are some of my favorites from her visit!

Hanging out at the beach

Aiden turned 5 months old while she was here, and we had a little photo shoot

Aunt Bethany and Aiden

Thank you for spending your vacation with us Bethany! We love you and miss you already-can't wait for the next visit!

MIA...

2010-09-13T09:44:00.000-05:00

I have been M.I.A. in blogworld for a good long time now. We have had a lot going on, and blogging is one of the things that keeps getting pushed down on the to-do list. So much has happened this summer, and I won't try to separately post on each event, but in the past couple months my stepdaughter Juliet came to visit, my little man turned 5 months old on September 1st, my dearest friend Bethany came to visit for a week, and I managed to finally hit my pre-pregnancy weight and actually lose 3 additional pounds!! Whew...I think I need a nap! I'll post some pics that Bethany took with her awesome camera on a separate post, but for now here are some pics from Juliet's visit!

Juliet and Aiden

We had a blast having Juliet here; it was very interesting having a 13 year old and an infant living under the same roof! I have a new appreciation for parents with teenagers...


I loved getting to see her bond with her little brother, and bond they did! I know he is missing her, as are we!

J and dad

the whole crew

It had been too long since we had last seen J-she is growing up into a beautiful teenager and I was so glad to get to know her better. She started 8th grade last week in Pennsylvania, hopefully we will see her for the holidays!

Pics of the Day

2010-08-27T11:12:00.000-05:00

Loving his fingers right now

Sweet baby boy

Results...sometimes you like 'em, sometimes you don't

2010-08-08T22:19:00.000-05:00

Ok, so the results are in. The petit fours were a disaster, as I expected. The frosting was great, the cake would have been great except for one thing, I am too impatient when it comes to beating eggs. There is no excuse for this, it's not like I'm doing it by hand or anything. But for some reason, I just can't seem to ever wait long enough, and when your cake is dependant on airy eggs to rise and not a leavening agent, then the results of rushing the process are not pretty. No worries, I am not throwing in the towel, I will try again...sometime.

The race, however, was great! The month or so that I have spent getting back into the swing of running definitely paid off, and I managed to finish the 5K in 29:29. Not a record time, but I'll take it. It was great to be there with my family, and I loved the fact that my cousins, Uncle, and I all got out there and ran together!

I finished! Woo hoo!


My cousin Jennifer

Cousin Rick, Jennifer, me, and my Uncle Chip

Jennifer's first time meeting Aiden

All in all, a great weekend!

My new project

2010-08-06T09:22:00.001-05:00

I am thoroughly enjoying my new life as a homemaker or SAHM as some people like to call it. Aiden is so much fun, and I love getting to spend the days with him. However, I am not used to having so much free time. Now that he is starting to entertain himself a bit more, I am finding that I am BORED! I clean house, exercise while he's napping, meal plan, and grocery shop, but that does not manage to fill up all of my free time. (Okay, I could clean more, but who really wants to spend all day doing that?!) My moms' group takes off for the summer, etc. and I cannot afford to go shopping all the time.

SO, my new project is to perfect the art of the Petit Four. Let me first start by saying that cakes are my nemesis. Not to "toot my own horn" (what a stupid expression, can't believe I just said that) but I can make delicious cookies, pretty good cheesecakes, heck I'm decent at cooking in general, but when it comes to cakes I can't ever seem to get it right. The last cake I made was terrible...beyond terrible even. (I'm sure it didn't help that when my husband went to heat up a bottle in the middle of the night he found a bowl full of congealed butter....that definitely needed to be in the cake, not the microwave!) So, in order to overcome my issue with cakes I have decided to go for the gusto and master the Petit Four. These little bites of heaven are definitely an art form.

The cool thing about the Petit Four is that they are the perfect compliment to many different events, such as bridal showers, baby showers, pretty much any kind of shower! Little individual servings of deliciousness covered in sugar. The petit fours at my wedding shower were to.die.for. Delicious and beautiful...

I'm taking my information from allrecipes.com and will be baking my genoise (sponge cake) today. Ironically I am running my first post-baby race tomorrow morning, the Bushwacker 5K. My plan is to pawn off my petit fours onto friends and family, as I do not need to eat them all myself...
Wish me luck on both fronts!!
How about you, do you have a cooking nemesis? Time to take that bull by the horns (there's another cheesy expression for ya, I am on a roll today!)

4 Months...

2010-08-02T17:28:00.000-05:00

Yesterday my boy turned 4 months old....

He is growing and changing every day, so quickly, right before my eyes...

It has become nearly impossible to take a picture of him without his hands in his mouth...baby hands are delicious, didn't you know?

Aiden is a total delight-content, happy, joyful even...he is a constant reminder to me to not sweat the small things...

He has mastered rolling over both ways, bringing toys to his mouth, and he is in the process of figuring out how to get his feet there too...

He has also mastered the pouty face....and the drool bomb...

We tried some cereal, but he wasn't too sure about that...I think we can wait a couple months before trying that again...

Happy 4 months Aiden!

Weight Loss Update/Running Goals

2010-07-21T10:39:00.000-05:00

I am happy to report that my scale is finally moving again; I haven't done an update in a while because, frankly, there has been nothing exciting to update as far as weight loss is concerned. I finally found some new running shoes (Nike stopped making the shoes I was running in pre-pregnancy, of course!) so I had to start the hunt again.

The pair that made the cut? Nike Moto +7:

I have registered for the Bushwacker 5K on August 7th, and today I am registering for my first half marathon, which thankfully is not until November. That should give me time to train so that I can actually run, not crawl, across the finish line.

Pre-pregnancy weight: 133 lbs.
Final pregnancy weight: 171 lbs.
Total weight gain: 38 lbs.!!(ugh, scary...)
Current weight: 136.8 lbs.
Current weight lost: 34.2 lbs.

Weight lost since last time: 4 lbs.!!!
Goal weight: 125 lbs.
Weight left to lose: 11.8 lbs.

My clothes are starting to fit again too...woo hoo!!!

Summer Lovin'

2010-07-01T10:25:00.000-05:00

The only thing I missed about the South when we lived in Colorado was the beach. Okay, maybe not the only thing (I also missed fresh oysters, shrimp, basically all seafood, and my family) but it was definitely the main thing that I missed. Nothing says summer to me like the beach. Living in Mobile was okay, Gulf Shores was only about an hour away, so not too bad, but living in Niceville is unbelievably better. We are smack dab in between Destin and Fort Walton Beaches, twenty minutes either way.

What makes that ideal situation even more fun is that Aaron's business partner Chris and his wife Lynne own two jet-skis. They also just recently purchased a boat. We took the newly acquired boat out last weekend to make sure she was sea-worthy, and she definitely proved herself. Lucky for us, the oil hadn't made it to our neck of the woods yet, and we were able to spend some time out in the Gulf, as well as the Sound.

Aiden is a trooper-we were out for almost 9 hours, and he. never. cried. He slept, he swam, and he beach bummed it with the best of them. He is definitely his parent's child. Guess we'll keep 'em :-)

Fort Walton Sound...so nice and calm

Already yawning...no stamina this one

He is amused...not sure by what but I'm not knocking it

Aaron is officially in love with jet-skiing; he wants to buy one ASAP, I however would like a car that was made in this decade!

The Destin Bridge/Crab Island

Chillin with dad

Does water get any better than this? I don't think so...

Docked for lunch at Helenback; the one time of the day that Aiden got fussy-I think it was the unruly World Cup fans

So there you have it-our Saturday funday, and oh mama did we have a blast. I also survived with only a slight sunburn...nice. What's in store for the 4th? More of the same, only this time there will be fireworks...lots of them.

On a side note, if you like reading my blog let me know! Or add yourself as a follower, or both! I'd love to know if you enjoy it :-)

On another side note, today is mine and Aaron's 1st wedding anniversary-wow! I can't believe a year has already flown by. We will be celebrating with a night out on the town, okay maybe not a whole night, as I turn into a pumpkin around 10ish, but we will definitely enjoy our sushi dinner, alone. Yes, we have a babysitter. Awesome!

Playing Catch Up

2010-06-30T09:07:00.001-05:00

Here's how behind I am: Aiden turns 3 months old tomorrow, and I am just getting around to posting his 2 month pics. He is changing so much every day, and as I am sure every mom says, I can't get over how fast he is growing!
Aiden has accomplished several milestones this past month, including holding his head up at a 45 degree angle, and rolling over from stomach to back! He attempts to laugh, which is really cute because he tries so hard but just can't quite get it out...He loves to smile though, and does it often, especially in the morning. He is such a morning person, so happy and cheerful when he gets up. The sleep schedule is improving too, and several times this past month Aiden has slept for 6-7 hour stretches at a time!

The past month in pictures~

I was trying to re-create his birth announcement pic, and as you can see, this outfit is getting pretty tight...

Aiden loved his baby gym this month, and started holding conversations with the dangling monkeys-he also figured out how to kick the side bars and make everything move!

My future ladykiller hamming it up for the camera; so glad he is more photogenic than his dad and I!

I am currently in the process of building up a tolerance to this lip, right now it makes me turn into a giant wuss, but I will learn to resist it.

My boy loves him some daddy...so sweet (10 weeks)

This little lamb plays "Jesus Loves Me" when you wind it up, and Aiden LOVES it! (Thanks Mama Jan and Daddy Tom!)

Mastering the art of holding his head up

Beach bummin it up (Navarre Beach-Memorial Day)

I think he's finally starting to look like me :-)

So there's a photo summary of the past month; I think I took roughly 200 pics last month, and I struggle to delete any of them! My next organization project is definitely my pictures file. More to come soon...

So Behind...well, here goes

2010-06-26T00:03:00.000-05:00

I am well over a month behind with my posts, but as this is my online "scrapbook" I am going to add this stuff anyway! Time to get caught up...finally...

My sister Elizabeth graduated high school in May; this officially makes me old, maybe over the hill even. Okay, maybe not that old, but it has been 10 whole years since I myself walked across that same lush green Fairhope football field to receive my diploma. In some ways, it feels like I have lived a lifetime since then, and in others it feels like yesterday, but I digress.

Here are some pics from Elizabeth's graduation weekend. She was a good sport in spite of the fact that Aiden was being all "look at me, I'm a cute baby! Graduation, what graduation?" and hogging all the attention.

At ESPC's graduation breakfast, tired baby

Baccalaureate service, geez Aiden, are you gonna sleep all day?

our little family :-)

The "Wiggins" girls

Elizabeth and Haddaway :-)

We had a great time in Fairhope for graduation; I am so proud of you Elizabeth, and I can't wait to see where life takes you! I love you sis!

Mini Update

2010-06-17T08:53:00.000-05:00

I am way behind with my posting-I have so many pictures and events to update on, but I'm finding it really hard to fit everything into my days! I am managing to find plenty of time to play with Aiden, so I guess that's what matters most. My house is also not a complete wreck, and we are managing to eat real food and not take out and fast food all the time-woo hoo! I did have to jump on and update my weight loss, as this week has been pretty reaffirming in that department. I have been scared that this last ten pounds to my pre-pregnancy weight was never going to come off, but this week has been better! I have been trying very hard to be diligent about not skipping workouts, as I know that exercise is the key. Sometimes it is hard to force myself to go run instead of take a nap, but the results are worth it! Here are my results as of this morning:

Pre-pregnancy weight: 133 lbs.
Final pregnancy weight: 171 lbs.
Total weight gain: 38 lbs.!!(ugh, scary...)
Current weight: 140.8 lbs.
Current weight lost: 30.2 lbs.

Weight lost since last time: 3 lbs.!!!
Goal weight: 125 lbs.
Weight left to lose: 15.8 lbs.

When I get back in the 130's it is going to feel so good! How about you? Do you have any extra pounds you want to lose? Now is the time, all of the wonderful summer fruits and veggies are in the stores, and the weather is great!

Weight Loss Accountability Update

2010-06-04T09:49:00.000-05:00

Hello blog world! It has been awhile since I updated my weight loss info., and for a pretty good reason. Those pounds that were flying off the first two months have definitely come to a standstill. The past two weeks have been pretty disappointing. I have been trying to exercise, but have not fit in as much as I would like, and my weight loss definitely reflects it. We were in Fairhope for my sister's graduation a couple weeks ago, and my eating got really off track that weekend and the following week. I have been trying to do better, but it's hard because I want to be sure I'm not eating too little so that Aiden gets enough from my milk....I wish I were rich and could hire a nutritionist!

Anyway, here are my stats as of today:

Pre-pregnancy weight: 133 lbs.
Final pregnancy weight: 171 lbs.
Total weight gain: 38 lbs.!!(ugh, scary...)
Current weight: 143.8 lbs.
Current weight lost: 27.2 lbs.
Goal weight: 125 lbs.
Weight left to lose: 18.8 lbs.
I still have a long way to go, but I guess every pound counts for something! I finally broke down and ordered a Baby Bjorn; hopefully that will help Aiden and I to get out and exercise more!

My First Mother's Day

2010-05-25T12:18:00.000-05:00

I have always enjoyed Mother's Day holiday as a time to celebrate my mom, and to show her how special she is, and how much I appreciate all that she does for me. This year Mother's Day took on a whole new meaning, as my first time to experience this holiday as a mother myself. It was a great day, Aaron made me breakfast and had a beautiful bouquet of orchids for me, and then our little family packed it up and headed to Pensacola for the afternoon. We were able to see my grandparents, my mom and sister, Aunts Janet and Lisa, and cousins Rick and Daniel all in one visit! As you can imagine, Aiden got quite a bit of attention:

We had a great time with the fam, my mom brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a very sweet card, but on our way home I realized that the only time I actually held my son all afternoon was to feed him and change a dirty diaper...oh the glamorous life of a mom...so we hauled ourselves out back and Aaron took a couple pictures of me holding Aiden. All in all a very nice first Mother's Day!

Oh, and my awesome Mother's Day gift from my hubbie:

Woo Hoo!!

6 weeks and all is well

2010-05-14T08:38:00.000-05:00

I had my 6 week postpartum checkup yesterday and got the all clear to "be a normal person again" as my doctor put it. So bright and early this morning (before the Florida heat became too oppressive) I laced up my shoes and hit the sidewalk for my first jog in over 4 months. It felt fantastic to be jogging again, and although I did walk probably 30-40% of the time, it was a good start.

It has already been a week since I posted my weight loss goals, so here are my stats for this week:
Pre-pregnancy weight: 133 lbs.
Final pregnancy weight: 171 lbs.
Total weight gain: 38 lbs.!!(ugh, scary...)
Current weight: 145 lbs.
Current weight lost: 26 lbs.
Goal weight: 125 lbs.
Weight left to lose: 20 lbs.

I lost three pounds this past week-awesome!!!Now that I can exercise completely again, hopefully that momentum will continue.
On a different note, my first Mother's Day was fantastic! I will try and post pics soon-

Things I Have Learned in the Past Month

2010-05-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

I have been babysitting since I was 12 or so. I always kinda thought of myself as "good with kids" or a bit of a childcare pro, however being a mom is TOTALLY different than watching other peoples kids. The experience is so transforming, so life-altering, it is hard to put into words.

Here are a few of the things I have learned in my first month as a mom:

1. When people tell you to sleep when your child sleeps, they are not joking. Sleep deprivation is seriously debilitating, and you need every minute of sleep that you can get. Otherwise you may end up walking into doorways and bruising your ear...totally a hypothetical, of course.

2. The meaning of the phrase "Clean Enough"

This is a phrase that I now understand and embrace, as it relates to my house, and myself as well. I used to be a little OCD in the cleaning department, but those days are gone (for now). If I get the dishes done and a load of clothes done in a day, I am doing good. If I get a shower, the floors vaccumed and mopped, and the bed made, all on top of the dishes, cooking dinner, and a load of clothes washed, I feel like Supermom!

3. Garner Fructis Eye Roller and Almay Smart Shade Concealer

These two products are awesome! The eye roller makes me feel like my dark circles aren't as noticable, and it is really cooling and refreshing. The smart shade concealer blends easily and quickly, and makes me look like I actually got a full night's sleep, when in reality it was closer to 4 hours.

4. Breakfast for dinner

Never underestimate the power of the incredible, edible egg. When mixed with a little chopped ham, some green onion, and cheese, scrambled eggs make a quick meal and can be put on toast, in a wrap for a breakfast burrito, or just eaten on their own. And all of this can be completed in less than 15 minutes...awesome!

5. Ask For Help
If someone offers to watch the baby so you can run to the store, do it. If your husband offers to watch the baby so you can nap, take him up on it. You do not have to try and do everything on your own-you do not get a "mom bonus" for doing it all on your own. Work smarter, not harder, and take people up on their offers to help you out!

6. Being a mom is the Coolest Job Ever
I have worked a lot of jobs in my 27 years...a lot. This job is by far the most rewarding, most fun job I have ever held. There is nothing better than holding your child and seeing them stare at you and then break into a big smile...I love every minute with Aiden, even the minutes that come around 2 a.m. It is so worth every bit of sleep deprivation and every stretch mark.

7. Stretchy pants are a gift from God

I am at that fun stage where none of my clothes really fit-I have lost over half of the weight I gained during my pregnancy, so my maternity clothes are pretty loose and baggy, but with 15 pounds left to lose I am not able to wear my old clothes...yet. I will get there, but in the meantime stretchy pants are a lifesaver!

So as far as the weight loss goes, I am going to the OB for my 6 week checkup one week from today. I have already started taking Aiden on walks, but once I get cleared from the Doc I will start jogging again, and then the weight loss push really starts! I'm going to use this blog to help keep me accountable, and to record my weight loss progress.

So here goes, my stats as of today:

Pre-pregnancy weight: 133 lbs.
Final pregnancy weight: 171 lbs.
Total weight gain: 38 lbs.!!(ugh, scary...)
Current weight: 148 lbs.
Current weight lost: 23 lbs.
Goal weight: 125 lbs.
Weight left to lose: 23 lbs.

Well there it is folks...that's a lot of numbers, but the good news is I am halfway to my goal! Yes, I know that the first half is the easier half to lose, but I am not underestimating the power of breastfeeding, healthy eating, and exercise. Watch out beach, here I come! Well, maybe, if the oil doesn't get here first...

The First Month

2010-04-30T18:22:00.001-05:00

I can't believe that it has already been 4 weeks since Aiden joined our family! Time is flying by so fast, I wish I could slow the seconds down to a crawl, but I cannot. I try to savor every moment with him, drink in every bit of his essence, his little features and expressions. I have managed to take more pictures in the past month than I think I have taken in the past ten years combined, so hopefully I have managed to capture some of these beautiful moments on film.
I think it is safe to say that we are blessed with lots of wonderful family that love us-Aiden is privileged to have 3 great-grandmothers and 1 great-grandfather alive, as well as 4 sets of grandparents. Meeting everyone has been fun, and Aiden is definitely the center of attention! ( I don't think he minds :-)

Aiden and Grandma Jenni

Aiden and Grandma Connie

Aiden and Grandma Laurey

my grandparents

Uncle Steve

We have also had our first big excursion, my sister Elizabeth and I took Aiden for his first beach day; we had a picnic in Destin, sat on the sand and enjoyed the beautiful day! Of course no swimming yet, that will come later!

Enjoying the beach..er sleeping (this is how he enjoys most of our outings:-)

We also took our first big roadtrip-a two hour drive to Robertsdale for Aaron's moms birthday. Aiden loves the car, or at least loves to sleep in the car. He falls asleep pretty much instantly.

This child gets TONS of kisses, he is definitely going to know that he is loved at a very early age!

Our family

Back from our first walk

I propped him up next to his HUGE stuffed bear, and he was not too sure about that...

But he got over it :-)

I could go on and on, but I won't bore you all with picture after picture of the little man, I will just leave you with this last one (for now!)
If you are feeling sad, depressed, frustrated, or overwhelmed this next picture is a guaranteed mood booster! You ready?
Here it comes....

Aiden Lee is here!

2010-04-13T20:26:00.000-05:00

So I know this post is long overdue, it just seems like there are not enough hours in the day anymore. Blogging has definitely taken a back seat to being a mom, and that is fine with me! I am so enjoying Aiden, he is just a precious little boy. Aaron and I feel so blessed, we just stare at him in wonder and amazement. We were not quite expecting him to come when he did, but life is full of surprises! Today was my official due date, but Aiden decided he did not want to wait this long, and joined us 12 days early.

The morning of April 1 I woke up feeling a little off. I was tired and crampy, but as I had been feeling that way for the past week prior, I didn't think much of it. I was sitting at my computer and all of a sudden I realized I was having a for real contraction-not a braxton hicks, not Aiden sitting on a nerve, but a definite contraction. Still not thinking much of it, I went on with my morning, made Aaron's lunch, and then...another contraction. I went in and told Aaron that I had just had a couple contractions about 15 minutes apart, and that we just might be having a baby soon. I had another contraction, and then I noticed that I was leaking some fluid.

That was when I knew that this was it, today was THE day I would get to finally meet Aiden. Of course, being the "practical" person that I am, I calmly insisted that Aaron go on to work, telling him that I was sure it would be hours before I was ready to go to the hospital, he might as well get some work done. I called mom, and she insisted I call the Dr., which I promptly did. Apparently leaking fluid is a go straight to the hospital kind of thing, and they were pretty adamant that I get there ASAP. I called Aaron and told him "just kidding, come home now, we gotta go to L&D"; he said "L&D? You mean the Dr?" I said, "No, the hospital, this is for real." He was home in record time, and we were on our way to the hospital shortly thereafter.

Post Epidural (hence the smile :-) Ready to have a baby!

We checked in at 11 a.m., and Aiden Lee Anderson was born at 4: 46 p.m. Aiden was one of 7 April Fool's babies born in Fort Walton Beach Medical Center that day, and I am so glad we got there when we did, otherwise he may have been born in the hallway. My mom and sister drove over and made it just in time for delivery-mom and Aaron both held my hands and were an awesome support! I pushed for about 30-45 min or so and he was here!

Welcome to the world Aiden!

Aiden Lee Anderson 6 lbs. 14 oz., 19 1/2 inches

One very proud grandma!!

Aunt Elizabeth and Aiden

This week in the Life...

2010-03-19T09:43:00.001-05:00

This week turned out to be much busier than I expected-all in all it's been a great one though!

I had a Dr. appointment on Wednesday, and much to my surprise I was told that they wanted to do an ultrasound to find out exactly how baby is doing growth-wise. This was really exciting (and slightly disappointing since Aaron and I didn't know ahead of time and he was at work and wasn't able to be there) but the ultrasound tech got a couple of great pics-our baby actually looks like a baby now, and not a little alien!

Overall, baby and I are both doing well. My blood pressure was high for me, so we're keeping an eye on that, but overall things are good. Baby Aiden weighs about 6 pounds 1 ounce, so he could still stand to bulk up a little, but the Dr. said that he could come at any point now-wow!! Unfortunately, the possibility of him coming at any time means that I am not allowed to take the trip to Fairhope that I had planned for this weekend :-( I am so disappointed about this, but I have to listen to the Doc and do what I'm told...bummer.

So yes, I am officially grounded until the baby comes, but I am going to try very hard to enjoy these last few weeks of pregnancy, and quiet time, and just relax and enjoy my days!

I am involved in a great women's bible study on Thursday mornings, and yesterday my small group threw me a little baby shower during our small group time. This was so much fun, and meant so much to me that they would do this! We had three new girls join our group yesterday, and two of them announced that they were also expecting, so I see more baby showers in our groups' future! There must be something in the water in Florida, I know 4 women in the Niceville area that are expecting! Here are a couple pics from the shower, I still did not do a good job of taking more pics, but I'm trying to do better!

Unfortunately I did not get pictures of all of the ladies in our group-there are about 12-15 of us that come every week, and I am really enjoying getting to know this group of ladies! Many of them are grandmothers, so we got some really cool gifts! Thank you ladies :-)

I have been doing some babysitting for a local family for the past two months or so, which has been a lot of fun (and good preparation!) The oldest is Ethan, who is 2, and Blakley is about 8 1/2 months. She learned how to scowl this week, and I just had to share these pics with you. She totally doesn't understand the context of when to use her new "mean face" so she just switches back and forth between her normal expression and her mean face for no reason- it is too funny!

Here is Blakley's normal face-isn't she a cutie?!

Ok, now for her new "mean face":

Isn't that hilarious??!! Kids are so funny....

So that's my week so far, now I sense some cleaning/nesting in my immediate future! Oh, and I have thank-you notes to write, and new baby clothes to wash... Have a great weekend everyone!

Our Maternity Shoot!

2010-03-13T10:00:00.000-06:00

So I mentioned in my last post that we had some maternity photos taken recently, thanks to my awesome sister-in-law Michelle. She offered to do this for us, and I am so glad that it all worked out. The pictures are great; Aaron and I tend to be very UNphotogenic, and she managed to get some awesome shots! The cd she sent me had over 110 pics on it, but I will post some of my favs-thanks again Michelle, you rock!!

35/35

2010-03-09T08:59:00.000-06:00

Today is my 35/35: 35 weeks along, with 35 days left until my due date. I thought I would revisit an earlier post that I did at 26 weeks, and see how things have progressed.

How far along: 35 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: As of last Friday, I was at 30 lbs. I'm hoping to not go too far over this, as I now weigh more than my husband. He thinks it's funny however I, on the other hand, do not. Sidenote: I am proud of myself for posting this number honestly, as I seriously considered typing anything that started with a 2 instead.

Maternity clothes: Um, yea, no way around that at this point. In fact, Aiden has started to drop into position, so even some of my smaller maternity shirts are getting tight!

Stretch marks: I have a few stretch marks that have started to tease me with their presence. They are very light, but they're there...I'm watching you stretch marks...

Sleep: A joke, seriously. I wake up 3-4 times a night, and by the 3rd or 4th time, which is around 5:30 a.m. or so, I am awake. I do take pretty consistent naps though-

Best Moment of this week: Getting a good report at the Drs office on Friday. Aiden was lying breach, but he has turned around-yea!!

Movement: Not so much kicking and punching anymore, but lots of rolling. I think he is getting pretty cramped in there!

Food Cravings: Soft pretzels, and I finally bought a jar of pickles. They looked so good in the lunchmeat section, I passed them up, and they screamed at me again on the condiment isle...now they are half-eaten in my fridge.

Labor Signs: I am having Braxton-Hicks a lot, and a lot of lower abdominal pain, but no full-on contractions yet.

Belly Button in or out: Out and proud baby, my belly button is getting its fifteen minutes of fame (at least I hope that's all it is, they do go back in, right??)

What I miss: Sleeping more than 3 hours consistently, hair color, and being able to walk for more than 15 minutes without pain.

What I am looking forward to: This one hasn't changed since last time, I am so ready to meet our son, I can hardly wait! I am also looking forward to being able to exercise normally again, and am also looking forward to summer, and the beach and boat weekends to come!

Milestone: Knowing that our son could be here in less than a month! I have a lot left to do, in fact I guess I should get off the computer and go clean something!

I know I have been remiss in my blogging, partly because I don't really know if anyone actually reads this, and partly because my world pretty much revolves around being pregnant and baby stuff right now, and I don't know how interesting that really is to anyone but my husband and me, and my mom :-) Also, I have been really slack in taking pictures, and blog posts are better with pics! We did have a maternity photo shoot a few weeks ago (thank you again Michelle!!) and when I get those pics I will post some on here. Also, my mother-in-law hosted (hostessed??) a baby shower for me a few weeks ago, but of course I was so busy chatting that I did not take a single picture...shame on me!
Aiden's nursery is almost done, and once I get the finishing touches complete I will post pictures of that as well!

Okay, enough of that, I'm off to wash baby clothes and deep clean something, or everything!

2010-02-15T09:55:00.000-06:00

Well time is marching on very quickly; I can't believe that Valentine's Day has come and gone...Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that I feel is extremely over-hyped, and WAY too much pressure is put on husbands/boyfriends/significant others to spend spend spend and impress their women. I personally think this is unfair to all the men out there, but our culture is what it is. You never need to wait for one particular day of the year to show someone how much you love them-you should do that year-round!

Valentine's Day serves a dual purpose in our house however, as it is the day that Aaron and I started dating. This V-Day marked our 5 year anniversary of being together-5 whole years, that is really hard to believe!! What an adventure the past 5 years has been, and yet somehow I think our biggest adventures lie ahead of us. I feel so blessed to be married to my best friend, my confidant, and my rock.

Happy Anniversary honey- I love you!

26 weeks and counting

2010-01-09T10:05:00.000-06:00

January is off to a fairly slow start here...after all the excitement of the holidays, and so many wonderful times with friends and family, it's been a little tough to be back home again. I still haven't made that many friends over here yet, and since I'm not working most of my days are pretty quiet. I know, I know, with a baby on the way I should enjoy every second of quiet that I can get. It's tough though, I have learned that while I am not an overtly social person, I am definitely more social than I thought I was. Aaron normally only works until 2 p.m., so I get to spend a lot of time with him, which is great, but I'm sure there are times when he would like a break from me too! There is a new womens bible study starting next Thursday at the church that I am going to attend, and that will definitely be an opportunity to meet some new people.

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday, and everything went really well (except for the scale, it is looking quite scary...!) Aiden's heartbeat was strong, and hearing that heartbeat is such a comforting feeling. I just love that, it makes the whole Dr. appointment worth it!
I have seen posts with these little pregnancy surveys filled out, so here goes mine...I will try to be honest!

How far along: 26 weeks, 4 days

Total weight gain/loss: This question hurts, badly. I have gained 19 pounds so far. There, I said it. And I said I would be honest, so that's the honest truth!! I have NEVER seen my scale over 150, and it is shocking. I am trying not to obsess too much, but I think I have some pretty deep-seated body issues rearing their ugly head. As long as the baby is born healthy then I know it is worth it, but wow, the thought of losing all this weight is exhausting!!

Maternity clothes: I have 1 pair of maternity jeans that I live in, and if you are short like I am, Motherhood Maternity is the way to go! They sell short length maternity jeans that fit like a dream! I do not miss buttons, snaps, zippers at all! Note: maternity clothes are expensive!! I am really fortunate, my local Goodwill is like 2 min. from the Air Force base, and I guess those military wives spend a lot of time pregnant, so our maternity section rocks. One of the girls that works there practically greets me at the door and shows me the secret stashes of good maternity stuff-woo hoo!

Stretch marks: None so far, but I am buying stock in Palmer's stretch mark lotion. I put that stuff on religiously!!

Sleep: I guess I can't complain, although I have the WIERDEST dreams, and toss and turn all night. Oh, and I get up to pee at least once a night, sometimes 2-3 times. I didn't that would start until closer to the end, but I guess I have a small bladder. I do take a nap almost daily, which is awesome!

Best Moment of this week: Earlier this week, Aaron was laying his head on my stomach and talking to Aiden, which he does almost daily, but this time, Aiden kicked and started moving like crazy!! How cool is that!

Movement: He is very active! He moves throughout the day, every day. I love it, and will definitely miss that when he's not in there anymore. I was playing Clair De Lune on the piano yesterday, and he started moving all over-this boy is destined for musical greatness!

Food Cravings: Cherry Icees- they are hard to beat! The temp did not reach 40 degrees here yesterday, and I still had a cherry icee last night :-)

Labor Signs: None

Belly Button in or out: As of today it is still in, but things are not looking good for the ole' belly button. It is definitely on the verge of extinction!

What I miss: Running! Sushi! Raw oysters! Medium rare steaks! Full-throttle coffee! Wine with dinner! My favorite foods are off limits, and it makes me sad :-( Oh well, at least I can still have chocolate!

What I am looking forward to: Meeting my son, I am so excited to meet him! I tell him this daily, he is probably tired of hearing it!

Milestone: ? Not sure, this whole experience is kinda milestone-ish. I guess finding out that we're having a boy, and then being able to feel him move around all the time.

Okay, well hopefully I didn't put you to sleep with all that! Overall, my pregnancy has been relatively easy, (knock on wood), and I can't complain at all. God is good, all the time. Happy New Year everyone!!

December Happenings

2009-12-29T08:53:00.000-06:00

I cannot believe that 2009 is almost over...what a year this has been!! So much has happened this year, Aaron and I got married in July, I joined and left for the Army in August, and quickly found out we were pregnant! I left the Army in September, and we moved to Niceville in October. So much has happened this year, and through it all I can see God's hand so clearly directing and blessing our lives. We have so much to be thankful for, as we were both reminded this past week, we are blessed to have so many good friends and loving family members.
December has definitely been a whirlwind, my grandfather had a heart attack and had to get two stints put in, so I spent a couple days in Pensacola. Thankfully he came through everything okay, and was back to his normal self for Christmas!
This month we found out that we will be having a boy, which was so exciting! Aaron got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time at this appointment, and we both got to watch as the ultrasound tech fought with our little guy to determine that he was, in fact, a little guy.

Christmas rolled around quickly, and my sister Elizabeth came and spent a couple days with Aaron and I here in Niceville. Unfortunately we are both bad at remembering to take pictures, but we had a great time shopping and hanging out. Who knew Elizabeth was so good at video games? She definitely made me look bad :-)
My friend Bethany came down with her family, and we got to spend a lot of time together in Fairhope, which was great. Bethany lives in NYC, so we don't get to see each other very often. It is always so great to catch up and reconnect!

Aaron and I spent Christmas morning together at our house, then headed out to spend the rest of the day with my family and his family. We had a great time seeing everyone, and ate (too much) wonderful food!! I got a digital camera for Christmas, so hopefully having it will help encourage me to take more pictures.

I hope everyone has had a very Merry Christmas, and I wish you all a Happy New Year!! It looks like 2010 is going to be just as exciting as 2009 has been, and I can't wait!

Great Shrimp and Grits recipe

2009-11-14T09:49:00.000-06:00

Are there any shrimp and grits fan out there? I'm not talking about the book, t-shirts, cracker barrel marketing ploy but the meal itself! I found a great recipe, this will definitely be my go-to from now on...and you want to know the best part?? It was easy, yes easy.

This recipe comes from the Bay Tables cookbook which is put out by the Junior League of Mobile.

Loretta's Shirmp and Grits

3 slices bacon

1 pound peeled shrimp (I used 2 lbs., we LOVE shrimp

1 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 cup white wine or sherry (I used sherry)

1/2 cup cream

cooked grits

Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp-fried and crumbly. Remove the excess bacon drippings from the skillet. Add the shrimp, garlic, and crumbled bacon to the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine, stirring to deglaze the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the cream. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Serve over hot cooked grits.

Yield: 2-4 servings

NOTE: If you follow this recipe to the T, i.e. 1 lb. shrimp, etc., it is not going to make more than 2 servings. As I mentioned, I used two pounds of shrimp, and we still ate all of it!! If you do cook extra shrimp, make sure and double the entire recipe. You definitely want plenty of sauce to stir into your grits! And of course, as with any shrimp recipe, the fresher your shrimp are the better it will taste (I bought 10 lbs. off the shrimp boat yesterday, so our shrimp went from gulf to tummy in less than 12 hours!!) Also, don't forget to season your grits with butter, a little cream, and a little of that bacon you were cooking earlier. Hey, I never said it was a healthy recipe!!

Update on Us

2009-11-03T08:47:00.000-06:00

I am not very good at this blogging thing, mostly because I don't want to bore anyone to death with mundane details about my life :-) Aaron and I are really enjoying our new home. We are settled in and I am loving being at home during the day, keeping the house clean and cooking dinner every night. It's crazy, I never dreamed that I could be content not working, but I have settled in to things better than expected. Aaron really enjoys his new job and is learning so much so quickly! He is already poised for promotion, and loves the challenges involved in his work everyday. I love to listen about what he is learning everyday, although most of the time I probably have a dumbfounded look on my face (I am NOT mechanical, electrical, engineer-thinking at all!!) He is very patient and does a great job of explaining things to me, more than once in most cases.

The last time I left you with some pictures of the baby's room full of boxes, etc. to be unpacked. I am proud to say that there are no more unpacked boxes in our house, everything is organized (mostly) and put away in one of our many great closets (I heart closet space so much!!) Now the baby's room looks like this:

We are so blessed, a good friend has loaned us a cradle and crib to use, and I was able to find a GREAT deal on a travel system (stroller, car seat, and 2 car seat bases) like new on Craig's List. If you are not a craigslister, you should definitely check it out!! People sell some really nice things, and it's a great way to save some money over buying brand new.

We still have a LOT of work to do in this room (obviously) and this week I am tackling getting the crib and cradle sanded for Aaron to paint this weekend. Once we know what we're having I will get started on the decorating part. I cannot wait to decorate this space, my nesting instincts are definitely kicking in, and currently I spend WAY too much time watching HGTV. Hopefully we will be able to find out by the time Thanksgiving rolls around. I am so excited for the Holidays this year, can't wait to decorate and spend time with family!!

New house, tired Laura

2009-10-11T08:46:00.000-05:00

Whew...it has been quite another busy week for the Anderson family! We finally got the rest of our things out of the old apartment yesterday (thank God, no more wobbly steps and spiders!!) and now the baby's room looks like this:

Poor baby's room, you need some work my friend...it is really nice however to have an entire room that is empty at the moment, so that all of this stuff doesn't have to hang out in our living/dining room. I do not deal with clutter/boxes very well, and after spending the majority of this past week unpacking and putting all of the previous items we brought over away, I was not psychologically prepared for everything to be junked up again. Thankfully the baby's room door shuts, and I can block this mess out and work on it a little at a time.
This past week I have been job searching in addition to doing house-wifey things like cleaning and cooking, which was actually quite fun (not the job search, but the cooking part) I used to say that I would never want to be a housewife, but I have really gotten into the groove of being home and cooking nice big meals for Aaron every night (he hasn't minded it either!!) Well, the fun needs to come to an end, as nice as it is I do not receive a paycheck for housework, so please pray with me this week that God will bring just the right job into the picture. I have applied for 15+ positions in the area, most administrative/clerical type jobs, but work is hard to come by for everyone these days.

Pre-baby I would just find a nice restaurant and wait tables until something more solid rolled around, but the thought of being on my feet for 8+ hours a day and carrying heavy trays around does not sound like fun to me at this point. Course if this mom can do it carrying a baby on her arm, I guess I can do it with one in the womb, right?

Well, that messy room beckons... time to go start organizing the chaos. Tomorrow is Columbus Day, and one of the many perks of Aaron's job is that he gets EVERY holiday off, so we will be hanging out in Destin jet-skiing with one of his buddies from work-I haven't been jet-skiing in a long while, so it should be a good day! I will try and get pics up of the house once everything looks more together...hopefully sooner rather than later!

What a Week!!

2009-10-01T07:27:00.000-05:00

This week has been a very exciting, if not slightly overwhelming one, and it's far from over yet. I finally got to go the Dr this week, and I was able to hear the baby's heartbeat!! That has to be one of the most surreal feelings ever, I knew I was pregnant, I've been feeling the effects, but to actually HEAR the little life that is growing inside me is awesome! I was also able to have an ultrasound done, so meet baby Anderson-

I am right at 12 weeks along, with a due date of April 15th, (tax day, easy enough to remember right?) I am overwhelmed and thrilled about the responsibility of being a mother, and very excited!

Also, remember how I mentioned Aaron's new job? Well he started it Monday, and so far so good. He will be working with his dad, doing safety, load-testing, and designing of cranes.If you ask me any more detail I will not be able to tell you, because that's about as much of it as I understand at this point! Of course this new job means a move, and I am ready, because after being gone for two months I have not enjoyed being away from my husband since Monday. I wasn't able to go over and house-hunt this week due to scheduling, but my husband did not disappoint! He found a great house in Niceville (about 15 miles from both Destin and Fort Walton Beaches). This house is more than I dreamed of, and just might be our last rental before we are able to buy!

This house has all the features we were looking for: plenty of room for our growing family and guests, an open kitchen, and a DISHWASHER!!! (Our apartment now doesn't have one...)

We are moving this weekend, so I have the distinct pleasure of spending today and tomorrow packing, and as you can see, I am hard at procrastinating already!! (Hey blogging is important too, right?!)

Okay, well off to pack and clean, feel free to come help if you want ;-)

Home again, home again

2009-09-27T10:11:00.000-05:00

The past 2 months have been a very interesting time for me...Yes, I should still be at Fort Leonard Wood, MO wrapping up my basic training, and no, I am no longer there, but instead I am back in Sweet Home Alabama. Why you ask? I will tell you: I got through my 2nd day of processing, and was told that I was PREGNANT, yes PREGNANT! The nurse pulled me into her office and told me that my HcG levels in my blood were "elevated" and that I was most likely pregnant. I told her that my being pregnant was impossible and was she sure that the vials of blood did not get mixed up, or they read the numbers backward, or something along those lines? Because I took a pregnancy test at the MEPS processing center the day that I left to fly to MO (all females are required to) and nothing showed up there, obviously as they still put me on the plane and sent me to MO.
She said that I was likely so early along that it wouldn't have showed up on a urine test, but only on a blood test. After much arguing she told me to come back the following Monday (4 days later) and have my blood drawn again. So I did, and guess what? My levels had TRIPLED, yes TRIPLED. There is really no arguing with that, so I called Aaron to deliver the news, and I moved into acceptance phase, and the process of sending me home was started. Apparently when the Army was more hard up for recruits, they would send you home to have your baby, give you 6 months to get back in shape, and then presto, you picked up training where you left off, whether you liked it or not. Due to the immense over-crowding going on in the service right now, they are discharging everyone for any little thing. Luckily for me, in the case of pregnancy, you receive a neutral medical discharge, and are eligible to return 6 months after having your baby if you so choose. I have never been a mother before, but I am already finding it difficult to picture myself leaving my 6 month-old baby to go crawl through mud and fire M-4s, however if you had asked me 6 months ago if I could picture myself having a baby right now I would most likely have laughed at you, so I guess I will have to let God direct my steps, as obviously his plan is bigger than mine! (and Better too!)
Well you gotta love the military, it took them almost 7 weeks from the time they started my paperwork to send me home; lucky for me I did get paid that entire time, and learned a LOT about how things go in the military (some good, some bad.) So when you hear the saying "the quickest way out of the military is to complete your training" that is no joke! I did finally make it home, and am so glad to be back (my husband is pretty happy to have me home too, kinda tough having a pregnant wife 12 hours away from home.)
I have given myself a few days to hibernate, spent some time with my mom and my sister, and next week I will start the process of looking for a job and a new place to live. Aaron has gotten an amazing job offer in Fort Walton Beach, so we will be relocating to FL in October. I will write more on that later, as I think this post has been quite long enough!

This is it!!

2009-08-02T22:47:00.002-05:00

This is it~my last blog post before Basic Combat Training, and wow, I cannot believe it is time to leave. The past weeks have been a whirlwind, getting Married!, quitting my job, going to Orlando with mom and Elizabeth, getting everything organized...I am worn out!

I think that it must be easier to join the military straight out of high school-no bills, no debts to make sure will be paid, no household to care for and stress over. It is definitely difficult to get everything ready, and even now I feel like there is more that I should be doing, more that needs my oversight, and mine alone. This is the part where I have to surrender to God's will and walk away, I cannot control everything, I cannot be here to make sure things go exactly the way that I want while I'm gone, and that is okay. But because I lean towards a Type-A personality, relinquishing control is oh so tough for me to do! So this is a huge challenge, and a surrendering of my will, and it will be good for me, I know it.

It was so perfect, Paul Fowler preached on Brokenness at ESPC yesterday. He read from Daniel 4, which was Nebuchadnezzar's testimony about how God basically broke him down to show his need for Him; Paul talked about how God uses situations, among other things, to bring us back to Him-this is exactly what I am about to go through!

On a lighter note, Aaron and I went to Felix's today for my "Last Supper" :-) It was Dee-licious!! I got the Whitefish Almondine topped with Crabmeat Oscar, and a wonderful Abita beer...

I will miss you Felix's and Abita!!!

I am so thankful for all the prayers that have already been said, and all of the ones that will be said, because I will need all of them! When I started training for this, I was only capable of doing 3 push-ups at a time, (yes I know, how embarrassing), but I am proud to say that I can now knock out 25 with no problems! Can't wait to see what I'm able to do in 9 weeks...

So this blog is To Be Continued...see you in 9 weeks!

Almost time...

2009-07-30T08:14:00.004-05:00

I feel like my life is moving in warp speed right now; this time next week I will be at my reception battalion, being issued uniforms, and getting shots (ugh).
Mom, Elizabeth and I went to Orlando for a long weekend, and wow did we have a great time! We danced, we slept in, and we ATE!! Unfortunately I am a slacker and took practically no pictures-Elizabeth is definitely the photographer in our family. We got to see lots of family and great friends, and it was so nice to get away...
Well, the race is on, my to-do list is two pages long, and I have my wedding shower today, YEA!! I am so excited about this, can't wait to see all the ladies in the church and spend time with them.
I have the best mom ever, she thought I should have a new dress for the shower, so I got to go shopping yesterday, and here is what I found:

I love this dress, can't wait to wear it :-)

2009-07-17T07:03:00.004-05:00

I have blogged in a while, things have been moving so fast, and I feel like I need an additional 4-6 hours in each day to get it all done-don't think that feeling is going to change for a while!! But BIG CHANGES are happening, in fact a big one already did, Aaron and I got MARRIED!!
It was just the two of us, at the courthouse, and it was perfect! We want to have a more formal ceremony later, possibly a recommitment, with a white dress, and dancing, and all of that jazz, but with everything going on this was our best option for now. I am officially Mrs. Laura W. Anderson...has a nice ring to it, don't you think??
My friend Elisa said that I am going to be standing in line at Basic, and they are going to be calling out "Specialist Anderson!! Specialist Anderson!!!" and I'm going to be looking around, clueless, because after 27 years I have always been in the BACK of the line, not the front!! Haha, hopefully this will not happen, I think I would have a tough time explaining to my DS that I forgot my name!
Today is my last day of work, and I am so excited!! They just laid off 3 more people on Monday, and as much as I know that it's hard on the people getting laid off, it's also hard to watch 3 rounds of layoffs happen and have to put on a happy face and keep working. I just keep getting reaffirmed daily that this is the right decision, which is good, because I am getting a little nervous! I know that things will be ok, but being away from Aaron and my family for 9 + weeks is going to be really difficult-
So T minus 14 days until I leave...

Finally An Answer

2009-06-23T08:27:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I received some very good news. My DLAB waiver was approved, so I am confirmed for Language school! This is a huge relief, as I have been waiting for almost 3 weeks for an answer that I was supposed to get in 72 hours! I have not been told yet what language I will be learning, but I was waivered for Category IV languages which include Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Arabic.
So I will be shipping out August 5th for Fort Leonard Wood, MO. Please continue to pray as I have a lot of things to wrap up, and will continue to try to prepare mentally and physically for Basic Training.
I am so excited about the future, and I feel that God continues to show me the path that he wants me to go-I feel very confident and reassured about the future!

Waiting

2009-05-16T09:31:00.003-05:00

Thank you to everyone who has been praying about my DLAB testing. Unfortunately due to some scheduling issues with MEPS in New Orleans (they lost my reservation the 1st time, the 2nd time they decided to take a day off without giving anyone notice) I still have not been able to take it yet. Hopefully this Wednesday will be the day!! I have been studying for it, so hopefully it will go fine. I will keep you posted-I am so ready to get it over with!!!

SO...here goes!!

2009-04-30T19:22:00.002-05:00

As some of you may know, I have been searching for my calling for several years now, and have not yet found my niche. After graduating college with a Bachelor's in Psychology I have waited tables, worked at Starbucks, taught snowboarding, recruited nurses, etc. but nothing felt like "it".

This year I have felt like God has been calling me to give up control of my life and let him lead me and use me where he wants me to be. I have been praying nonstop and have really struggled giving over this control. As some of you know, I tend to be a bit of a control "freak", and this has been a true test of faith for me. Well, God is full of surprises, and let me tell you, I was not expecting that God's plan for me would include the Army, but again, surprises!

So it is official, I have enlisted in the United States Army, and will be shipping out for BCT at Fort Leonard Wood, MO on August 5th. The MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) that I have chosen is 35W (Electronic Warfare Signal Intelligence Recruit). This is considered a "feeder" position for two more specific specialties, 35P Cryptologic Linguist and 35N Signal Intelligence Analyst. I will attend 9 weeks of Basic Training, followed by 6 months to a year of Language training, then another 12 weeks or so of AIT in whichever of the two positions I get fed into. Once my training is complete I will be using to Language skills to interpret signals, translate intercepted messages, recode data, and keep the Army informed on enemy activities and plans.

This is a great opportunity, and I am really excited about the challenges and rewards that I will encounter over the next years. There are two main things that I would really appreciate prayer for. The first is my DLAB (Defense Language Aptitude Battery) test. This test determines my ability to learn a foreign language in a short amount of time. I am scheduled to take it next week, either Wednesday or Friday. The better I do on this test, the higher level languages I will qualify to learn. The two languages that I want to learn the most are Chinese and Arabic, which consequently are both Level IV languages (hardest level to learn.) I need to make a 100 out of 176 on the test in order to qualify to learn either of these languages. The second thing is my clearance approval. In order to continue my training and work in either of these MOS I have to receive Top Secret Clearance with Special Access Privileges. This is a really difficult clearance to qualify for, and some of you may be contacted by a gruff man in a badge asking all kinds of questions about me, so no, I am not in trouble with the law, and I am not on the LAMB or anything like that! :-) My clearance can take up to 2 years to receive, so prayer for this process would be greatly appreciated!

Okay, well this has been a pretty long post, but thank you for your patience and for your support! I love you all and look forward to telling you more about this new adventure!

Next post: MEPS (Military Enlistment Processing Station), or what I like to call, The Army's Introduction to Hurry Up and Wait!