Cousin update

Sara is getting better everyday. Here is the most recent photo. Such a cute family!

Date night!

Twilight and Hot Chocolate.

Thats what I'm doing this weekend, how about you?

I was bored, but still quite funny.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Update

After a month, my cousin Sara is just now starting to turn the corner. She has a few more weeks of recovery and nearly another month worth of antibiotics, but I have been told she is starting to feel she is getting her body back, which I am so grateful for. Here are some Thanksgiving pictures to enjoy.

Tis the season.

We are moving two days after Christmas to our apartment a whole two flights down from where we are living now. I decided if I was to enjoy any Christmas decorations I better get a move on. so the day after Thanksgiving was spent decking the halls. I also thought it would be a good time to show off our new place. It's small but I love it. Happy Holidays everyone!

Something to report.

I know it's been a while since I've given any updates on our journey to baby. The main reason being there hasn't been much to report, until now. When we decided to move to Arizona, it really didn't make a lot of sense to either one of us other than we knew in our hearts it was the right decision. We took a leap and amazing things have happened. The clinic I have been placed at by my travel company has offered me a full time position. After a call to the company's human resources department I found out they will cover our infertility expenses. I practically fell out of my chair. Ever since we were told we needed to move on to IVF we have been stuck due to the cost. We are now free to pursue our dream and see where it takes us.

My doctor and staff in front of my new clinic.

We had our first IVF consultation today and we are scheduled to proceed in March. It was wonderful getting a second opinion. Dr. Troche seems great. He was very up to date on Turner's Syndrome and even has a Turner's patient who is pregnant right now. He is very much into the latest research but also doesn't jump the gun on new treatments unless they have been well tested. I will start a new and exciting medication in a few weeks that has given promising results of "jump starting" lazy ovaries such as mine. He is very optimistic about me conceiving through IVF, although we may need to use an egg donor if I don't respond well to this fist attempt. I have come to terms with that and I don't care what genes my baby has, I just want him or her here with me. Thank you for all your support. I meet with the IVF coordinator in about a month to get the insurance ball rolling. March is going to be very intense, and I am going to miss having my family nearby, but at the same time it's all very new and exciting. More updates to come as March draws closer.

How did I miss this awesomeness?

Since we moved we have acquired Netflix. We can instantly stream on our computer a variety of movies and TV. I have currently been starting with the first season of 30 Rock. How I missed this in my prime time lineup I will never know. Now I am desperately trying to catch up so I can enjoy the current season three. Even as I write I am hurrying so I can continue with the hilarity that is Tina Fey and the rest of the cast of 30 Rock. If you haven't watched it yet, do! And for The Office loyalists, I like The Office too, but I have to admit 30 Rock is just as funny without all the uncomfortableness.

Highs and Lows

Lows: Keep my cousin Sara in your prayers, she is battling a pretty bad infection from the C-section. Highs: Check this kid out, isn't Mary the cutest?!!! She is I tell you!

Overdue

We have had the same bath towels that we got at our wedding. They have been good to us and we have gotten much use out of them, but it is time for them to move on to towel heaven. We were way overdue for new ones and also a color change. We spent ages picking out the colors and then finding a shower curtain that went with it. Having a husband who wanted kelly green towels because the name they gave the color was Peacock made this a particular challenge. This is what we came up with. I would have gone with a babier blue, but again the husband was not thrilled about wrapping up in a baby blue towel. I still like this combo a lot. We even got some guest towels in the same shades, so come try them out if you would like :)

It's A GIRL!

Mary Jade Ostler-7 pounds 3 ounces-November 1st at 8:08 PM! Mom and baby doing well after a looooong 24 hours!

Hey Tina called, she wants her glasses back.

I need reading glasses. Both my parent's vision suck, so I knew this day would come and here it is. Luckily I am still fine on distance but tend to strain a bit when reading or at the computer. Tom has always needed glasses, so we went to the Optometrist right before leaving California. Our doc looked a lot like Sandra Oh, and was awesome, we will probably go back to her next year no matter where we are at. His prescription has been the same for 5 years, but I finally crossed into the land of astigmatism. I am grateful that there are at least some super cute frames to choose from now. I call these my Tina Fey glasses. I am a huge fan, so it works out. My frames are Dolce Gabbana and Tom picked out some very nice and boring Gucci frames, I wanted him to go all Buddy Holly but I couldn't talk him into it. Cute huh!

We Made It!

We made it safe to Glendale, AZ. We are moved in and settled, but I am already very busy learning the ins and outs of my new job. I will post pictures of our new place later. We love our complex. It is quiet and has all the amenities anyone would want or need. Thanks to all who helped get us here especially my mother in law Mary. We couldn't have done it without you!

I Hate Goodbyes

After the baby shower craziness Sara and I got dolled up to take some photos. It's the last time I will see her pregnant with little Mary, so I was a little teary. I love this chick a ton!

Sara's Demi Moore pose(you know that vougue cover:)

It's a Bobby Shower!

Saturday was one of the most surreal days of my life. When did I grow up? When did I become old enough to throw a baby shower? I threw my Sara Bear a baby shower. It was three hours of lovely sandwiched between two days of chaos. I have to say though that all in all I throw a pretty darn good party. Almost all of the cousins were present. For those that don't know I come from a family of 90% females. It makes for a TON of fun. I think the highlight was the cake. Thank you Decroupet in Arcadia for doing it yet again. This cakery bakery is slowly becoming a family tradition. They did my wedding cake, Sara's bridal shower cake, Sara's Wedding cake, and now Sara's baby shower cake. It was beyond adorable and yummy too. For my sisters and step mom who couldn't make it, enjoy the pics, we missed you!

The diaper cake centerpiece
The placesettings(I stole the CD idea from my sis)
Gotta have the punchbowl(Fresca&rasberry lemonade :p)
The showstopper
The parents to be

And Off We Go!

So we have finally come to a decision and the verdict is....Sun City, Arizona! We are really excited to go on our very own little adventure. Sun City is right outside Glendale and Phoenix, Glendale was home to the 2008 Superbowl, too bad we're a year late. Also the job sounds great. No Sundays, holidays, or on call shifts. I couldn't ask for more. I move out of our house on the 29th. Tom is leaving a few days earlier to store some of our things at my in-laws house in Montana. I will probably leave strait for Arizona and attempt to get settled. I knew it would happen fast and all at once. I can't believe we are doing this...yikes!

30 weeks

My how the time flys! It seem just yesterday Sara announced her upcoming arrival. Then we found out a liitle girl was on it's way. Now it's only 8-10 weeks from delivery I am getting so excited to meet this litttle one. Isn't my cousin the cutest.

Babies at the Beach

My sister Trish is getting married today! As a double bonus my other sister Becky is staying with me, along with her three rugrats who I love to pieces. Yesterday we went to the beach and let the kids break olympic records in filthiness. We had a great time and have more activities planned for the upcoming days. Husband Tom is taking off and my mom and my cousin Cheryl are coming to stay with her kids. I really wish these kids lived closer!

Gotta love car trips!
Elena..don't let the adorable face fool you!
Gabby....a princess
Lico...the heartbreaker
Gettin dirty

Come Back Bernie Mac

I was very sad to hear yesterday of his passing. He was clever and witty and darn funny. I will miss you Mr. Bernie Mac.

25 Weeks or 6 monthes!

Since my loverly cousin has not posted many belly shots, I will oblige. Sara has officially entered her third trimester. I can not believe how fast the time has gone by. Before we know it we will be meeting this little girl and I can't wait. Sara, you look adorable!

Be a nurse! It hase it's perks.

So the big reveal.....*drum roll* We are moving! Nursing has oh so many luscious perks. After almost a year of thinking and praying "Can we? Should we? When should we?" The time has come. I have taken a job as a traveling nurse. Tom will of course be traveling with. We can go almost anywhere we want. I will probably start sometime in October and we haven't decided where we should go first. The way it works is the company I hired on with(American Mobile)contracts with hospitals all over the country. Assignments last for about 13 weeks and then you move on to somewhere else. It's another solution for hospitals to deal with the nursing shortage. We will be living rent free plus utilities and travel expenses. It is no way to live permanently, but right now it is right for our family. We can save for our infertility treatments and for a house. Tom will also have more opportunity to find a job in an area that isn't so stagnant. As soon as we decided to do it, it felt so right we don't know why we hadn't done it much earlier. I will miss my current job and the people I work with. I have learned so much and jumped up the career ladder with Davita much more than I ever thought I would. It truly is a company that cares about it's employees. As soon as we know where we are going I will pass on the info. We may not choose anywhere too exotic for my first assignment until I get my feet wet. Love to all.

It's not always about me.

Ok my last blog just seems trite now. This blog is just to let my cousin Melissa know I love her and am sorry for the horrible week she has had. We love you Lis and Jim(Ashley and Amanda too!), if there anything we can do, let us know!

I'm In A Mood :(

Maybe it's the heat. Maybe its the stress of making ends meet lately. Maybe it's I miss my cousin and a lot of other family/friends far away. Maybe it's I want to be a mom so bad I can hardly breathe. But I am in a total mood this week and can't find much to be happy or blog about. I will just press forward knowing that life's challenges don't last forever. Tom and I have made a pretty good/big decision that will help a few of our current dilemmas...so stay tuned for future announcements. Oh I did think of something positive...yours truly received an employee recognition award at today's staff meeting :) I guess there is always a silver lining.

Slurpee

I got my free Slurpee today, did you?

Growing up

I have been watching TLC's "What Not To Wear" a lot lately. The show rocks and it has inspired me a bit. Stacy and Clinton do their magic by providing a few simple guidelines to good fashion. I will admit I am not a fashion icon, but I am not totally clueless either. It's more my lack of effort and money that has kept me in casual wear. Maybe it's because I am approaching thirty, but I feel like I'm in a fashion rut. T-shirts and jeans aren't doing it for me anymore. I'm craving more of a sophisticated look. So today I walked into Macys. I got a few very nice pieces and never realized how nice their plus size department was. I hope to slowly accumulate a nice wardrobe(since nicer clothes also come with not as nice prices).