Need a good book??

A few months ago I read the first one...The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  Loved it.  And now I just finished the second one, The Girl Who Played with Fire.  Awesome!!  Now I can't wait to read the last book in the "series", The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest!  I couldn't put down the 2nd one (just ask Jesse)!  So, if you have nothing to do but read and you are looking for a good book, I HIGHLY recommend these books!

I would try to describe them, but I don't think I can do it justice.  Here is the info from Wikipedia on the first book.  I love a good book!!!  But I better wait to read the last one so I can get something else done!!  Also, because I know it is going to be movie soon, Water for Elephants, was a great book too!  VERY different from these books, but I like variety.

Thinkin' Pink!

So, this pregnancy we decided (well mostly me, but there was NO changing my mind!) to find out the sex of the baby.  I desperately wanted to know and could not WAIT until my ultrasound today. 

First of all, let me just say the baby is PERFECT!  Growing wonderfully and everything is exactly as it should be.  I don't remember if I said this too, but I had a quad screen done and that was all negative too.  I was pleasantly surprised that I hadn't gained too much weight (I feel like it though!!).  So mom and baby are healthy. 

Now, on to our stubborn child.  Like I said I couldn't wait to find out the sex.  I have been waiting to buy a baby book, paint the room, look at bedding, pretty much buy ANYTHING baby until we knew for sure.  Well...we still don't know for sure!!!  At first when my doc tried the umbilical cord was in the way, between the baby's legs.  So, he did the rest of the stuff he had to do, measurements and all, then came back to trying to figure out the sex.  Baby was not positioned the best anymore and so we couldn't get a perfect look, but he said he THINKS it is a GIRL.  I will have another ultrasound in 9 weeks, so we can take another look then.  9 WEEKS, that is FOREVER away!  So, now I have to decide...do we go with girl and start painting, etc...or cram it all into my last 9 weeks instead?!  I am very excited for Allison to have a sister, but looks like Jesse is going to be a bit out-numbered in the Mages' household! 

Happy 50th Momma!!

Missed Tuesday...Sorry.  I will try again next week.  We have had a very busy last couple weeks!  Stay tuned for pics from Miss Emma's Birthday, she has now entered the "Terrible/Terrific 2's!"  To be honest, I think they are pretty terrific!  But ANYWAY, it was my MOM's Birthday on Monday!  Her 50th to be exact!  I think my mom looks like a VERY young 50 year old!  (And hopefully I got those genes!!)  We had some cake for her and Emma on Sunday, but since it was such an important birthday wanted to do something special for her ON her birthday.  She really didn't want a party, and to be honest, my mom isn't much of a party animal!  She agreed to supper out with us at Red Lobster.  It was fun and really yummy.  I love my mom so much and am hoping for 50 more years with her!  So, Happy Birthday Month Momma!

Last Week!

It's the last week of the Gracie Margaret Child Photo Contest on Facebook!  Voting ends Jan. 22 at 11:59 p.m.  So this is the last chance to vote for Allison!  They cleared all votes on Jan. 14 at midnight and now (started Jan. 15) you can (and should :) vote AGAIN for Allison!  Vote 1 more time, same way as before.  If you didn't vote previously you can still vote now.  And once again you can vote for more than 1 child but only 1x/child this week (so if you voted prior to Jan. 15 you technically vote 2x).  Anyway, hope this isn't confusing, bottom line...VOTE AGAIN!!  Click HERE for the link!  Happy voting and winner will be announced Jan. 29 at Gracie Margaret's Grand Opening (Elmo is going to be there!!).  And probably on FB too!  Either way, I think she is the cutest and already our WINNER!! 

My Little Reader!

I think I have talked about it before, but Allison LOVES books, and loves to be read to and now she "reads" them.  It is pretty cute to listen to her read out loud!  Here's a couple pics of her and Grandpa Mike reading 2 weekends ago.

Snow Fun!

All ready to go out!  It really does take longer to get them ready to go out then you spend actually outside!!  Sadly this is the first time this winter that we have taken Allison outside to play in the snow, I need to invest in a pair of snowpants and snowboots!!! 

Look at that big smile!!  She was having soo much fun, Jesse pulled her on the sled and she even got to ride down a hill (small one) by our house!  At first it was like a puppy in the snow for the first time, she didn't really know what to do!  She usually says "icky snow" from inside, thanks to my mom!  I have to agree, I am not a fan and can't wait until spring, but in the mean time, I guess we better make the best of it!

We took our tree to the corner to be picked up on Saturday by the Jaycees!  Yes, I did get all the Christmas decorations down this week (actually last Sat.) now our house looks bare!  Anyway, another very windy, freezing cold day today.  Maybe we will get outside in Feb. again!

Mandatory On-Call

Wow, 3 posts in 2 days...I think it's a record!  Plus it is Tuesday, so figured I better post something today.  But it's not always going to be this good.  I have this week off, then I work the weekend.  And today I was SUPPOSED to work, but it's a new year, and at Rice that means a new session of mandatory on-call's begins!  Ugh!  Sometimes I don't mind them, it gives me a reason to stay home and get stuff done, but this year as I am trying to save my PTO for maternity leave...I am not enjoying my day off.  I am trying to make it productive though.  Doing laundry and after this post I am on my way to run errands.  Allison is at daycare, today is the only day she was scheduled to go this week and when we are mandated to stay home (due to low census) we still have to be on-call.  So, I am on-call until 7 p.m. tonight.  As of right now they can only make us stay home for 40 hours a year, the hospital is trying to increase that amount but our union is trying to keep it the same.  We'll see what happens.  Anyway, I am off to look get groceries, look at cameras again (possibly buy!!!!  Yeah!), look at paint colors, bathroom stuff (want to redo the "master" bathroom...not sure if it is in the budget), and look at big-girl beds!  Then pick up my baby! 

Link

Forgot I was going to put a link in the last post to the Gracie Margaret FB page.  Here it is - Gracie Margaret.  Those adorable girls are the daughter's of the owner and each of their middle names are Gracie and Margaret.  Cute!  And Despress Photography did the photos.  They are very good - also expensive.  Some kids have over 100 votes already, so not sure we have a chance, but fun to try!!  Vote away, and pass it on!!

Vote For Allison!

Ok, I have to plug my child a little here!!  If you have Facebook, vote for Allison in the Gracie Margaret 2011 Child Contest.  Here's how:

Once on FB, find Gracie Margaret's Children's Boutique.  Once on their page, "like" them - you have to do this in order to vote.  Oh, and if you are wondering, Gracie Margaret's is a cute new children's store in the Kandi Mall in Willmar.  Very cute and high end kids clothing/accessories.  Anyway, once you "like" Gracie Margaret's then go to the Photo's section and it is the first album "Gracie Margaret Child Photo Contest 2011".  Find Allison's pic (I used the one above - shout out to Holli for taking this super cute pic of Allison this Sept.!!) and EITHER comment OR "like" it to vote.  Either one counts as a vote and you can only vote 1x per child but you CAN vote for more than one child.  You can vote until Jan. 22.  Winner gets a $100 gift certificate to the store and a photo session with Despress Photography (I think out of Redwood Falls).  Then they choose a pic from the photo session to display in the store and you get that one, of course they get you in the fact that you will want to order many more pictures from the session!!  Oh, well.  Kind of a fun thing and of course, Allison is already our winner!!! 

2011!

Happy New Year to everyone!!!  Jesse and I went to the Rath house for New Year's Eve/B-day party for Dan R.  It was fun, but boy have things changed in the last 3 years.  Now this year there was kids there and although we did stay out past midnight, the party pretty much ended with the big ball drop!  We had tons of fun though, socializing and we played Apples to Apples and What's Yours Like?.  I laughed a lot.  Miss Allison spent New Year's Eve with my parents and now Jesse and I are enjoying a quiet day at home.  We took down the Christmas decorations - I was afraid our real tree was going to burst into flames soon it was so dry.  Now our house looks bare!  And I am reminded of the fact I need to look into paint and decorations!  But first I went to Best Buy to look at cameras.  I know it is not really a resolution...but I am going to get a new camera this year, sooner than later.  I was once again frustrated last night by the fact that my battery was almost dead and the slow shutter speed of my camera and the quality of pics compared to Holli and Jodi's nice cameras.  It has been on my wish list for quite a while, but we definitely need to do it before this baby comes. 

Now, my New Year's Resolutions...
Update the blog on a more regular basis.  Going to try to get back to the Tuesday blog for sure and then add in whenever. 
Get to the Y on a more regular basis.  I think I have been using my pregnancy as an excuse not to go, as in, I can't really lose weight now, so why go?  But it is especially important to stay healthy and it will hopefully make going AFTER the baby is born easier. 
And after the baby is born I am going to start training for a 1/2 marathon.  Hoping to do one in Vegas for my 30th birthday.  I have no desire (as of right now anyway) to ever do a full marathon, but I would like to do a 1/2 and it is also gives me a goal and more motivation to get back to running.

Here's to a wonderful 2011!!