Happy Thanksgiving Week

If you ask me, Fall time is the best season. While the end of this fabulous time is fading into colder days, longer nights and a glimpse of what winter has in store for us lets enjoy the time we have left.

Are you cooking a feast this week? I sure am. I cooked my first turkey when I was 12 & for years have been doing the same or similar feast to celebrate Thanksgiving. In fact, I bet I posted about it in early years of the blog.

My Menu 2017

• Relish Tray (this is what my family calls dip with veggies, cheese, crackers like an appetizer)
• Deviled Eggs (no mayo, no relish)
• Rolls
• Turkey
• Gravy
• Stuffing
• Scalloped Corn
• Green Bean Casserole
• Mashed Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• 4-way Sheet Pan Pie (it's a new one I'm trying) 

Way more food than my little tribe need but how do you cut out a dish that you usually only get once or twice a year? I just don't know if it would be T-day without them all... 

Here is my rough draft plan:

Tuesday: Make brine & bath the beast

Wednesday: Make the mammoth pie, rolls, eggs, prep relish try.

Thursday: Bake the beast and finish the feast! 

My plan for Thursday will also include a trip to CVS (gotta score some deals) & watching the Macy's parade. My husband has to work on T-day, poopers, so we eat Thanksgiving Lunch = Lee wakes up super Early! 

Facebook Shopping ads?

I have noticed that a few clothing type shops have been on my facebook. Dresslily, Gamiss, Rosegal, and probably others. Have you shopped these places? Visited their sites?

While they appear to offer discounted fashionable clothes, is it too good to be true? Or a just a hot seller? I'm about to find out as I just purchased 4 items from one of the listed retailers above. Once my items arrive I will blog it. And if I don't fizzle out or neglect my real life then maybe some other posts I will create will include:

• Black Friday/Holiday Shopping
• DIY projects
• Cooking
• Life of a graduate student

Anything you'd like me to post about?

FYI: Here is a flash of my life changes since I was a blogging.... Since the birth of my Lil in 2014, I've... gotten my BSN, delivered child #2 (3 yrs & 1 day after Lil), started grad school, almost done with 1 yr grad school to be the most awesome WHNP. Living in the same house but lost a cat and a dog then gained another dog but had to give him away. Decided to move then took it back, then decided to move, and.... I'm not sure what is happening anymore. I'm a mom, a wife, a nurse, and faithful to my studies to achieve WHNP.

I'm Back...

So it's been a long time, years lets say. But I miss my tiny blogging world. While I will not begin to dabble in the thoughts of what others have of my nearly non-existent blog. I'm doing this for me and my story. Or better yet, my family's story. So enjoy my blog revamping and I will try to post on a semi-regular basis as I continue my journey through graduate school. So here we go...

I have a Samsung G5 but ran out of storage... And grad school wants me to download apps.... uhh umm... so.

As I googled, struggled my way to find how to get my old sd data onto my need sd card. After an hour at a website, a car ride to the lost prophet, and one lucky break while at Walmart my solution was found. I'd like to believe this would work on any phone but I have no knowledge to base this on.

I found this Sunpack high-speed card reader. Hooked up to my computer with my old sd card, uploaded and copied to a file. Then replaced it with my new sd card, copied the file onto my new sd card.... wham bam thank you, Mam! And now I have tons of space to clog my phone with.

It's just what I need to reinstall the Amazon app and score some Black Friday deals! bahahahaha

Long time no posty

Yes it has been a tremendously long time since I post, I apologize. I really want to make a better effort to update/post more often and get into some type of rhythm but I have been busy. Today was my daughter's second birthday. I'm graduating in 2 months with BSN and will be applying for my masters. So don't give up on me. I miss you blog.

Gender & Christmas

Lily Lee will be here in 12 weeks. OMG!

With Christmas just 2 weeks away I can't believe how quickly time flies. 

I'm sure there are lots of things we still lack for Miss Lily but we have some essentials. 

In an effort to better re-purpose our finances we have canceled cable. 

Our tree is lacking the usual number of gifts but to be honest the things I really want can't fit under the tree. My healthy child to be born this March, to be able to get my Masters in Women's health (BSN first of course) without sacrificing my sleep and missing my daughters life and having finances to do so. I thought the latter I might have a plan to achieve but that has been revealed as a failed attempt. Not giving up but somewhat discouraged and lost on how to do so. I also find myself unsure of how my child will have care provided when mom & dad are at work. Unfortunately life is not a board game that you can just restart from the beginning of adulthood (not that I have regrets but I could have planned some things differently). Through and through I know I have God and some family by my side. I have an adoring husband that I love so much and can't imagine life without him. I'm thrilled to welcome our child next year and hopefully a few years later we can welcome a sibling for her. So there is no gift under the tree that could give me what I'd like this year, unless there is a winning 6 figure + lotto ticket under there (the baby thing is all God though). 

Now for some link love....

• If anyone is in an extra giving nature, my baby registries are at Amazon.com & Walmart.com
• On pinterest I found some cool stuff (of course that isn't anything new, pinterest rocks). Baby apps here   Baby tips here 
• Check out the latest shopping trip of my fav coupon blogger Hip2Save here 
• In an attempt to get more financially in shape with the upcoming birth of our baby I am trying to shave the grocery budget, found this interesting article (not sure if I can trim too much with it but still useful). 

Well that's all I got. My back hurts and the sleepiness is setting in....

Getting ready for shopping...

Time for some Tidbits... aka things I find interesting...

• Black Friday is weeks away.... some bring on the leaked ads.... Of course I'm not really one to venture out on the event. I do cyber stalk my favorite stores online and of course make a T-day run to Walgreens & CVS.... Check of some leaked ads here... my fav so far is Walgreens (looking forward to walmart though). 
• Another favorite site is Deal News... I've gotten several good buys from visiting this site, particularly some awesome batteries last year but anywho. They cover everything from vacations to vitamins...
• Kohls is having their kohls cash event... If I knew the baby's gender I would definitely buy some clearance baby clothes....

Thanksgiving (from the heart not the belly)

So it has been a long while since I updated this thing....

I'm currently 23 weeks prego! And sick... yuck. Been sick nearly a week with a sinus thing. I was thinking back on the year and realized I've been sick a lot.... Jan, March, April, July, & now....I'd like to believe this is my last hoorah for this pregnancy but since I still have about 4 months left I have feeling the winter season will get to me....Prayers!!!

As it is now Nov (maybe a little sentimental due to the hormones) I want to express my thankfulness. This year I am very thankful. I am thankful that my mom and my brothers family and I are living in the same state again, just in time to welcome baby watts. I'm thankful for my husband. Perhaps the one silver lining to most of the reality trash on tv is that I am reminded that despite flaws we all posses, I have a good man by my side. He has gotten a new job this year and seems to be happier and hopefully will continue to rise to the changes as this next year is sure to full of them (like baby watts and someone going back to school - fingers crossed). I'm thankful for my little dog Max, because I love him so very much and grateful for every day God continues to bless me with is presence. He will always be my first baby (as tears stream down my face while type this). I'm thankful for my dad who is still protected during all his driving and will never probably truly know how much I appreciate him, his help, and how one day I will probably publicly acknowledge that without him I would not be or be doing what I am today. I am thankful that my husband and I have a beautiful home, good jobs, 2 good cars, etc.... I'm thankful for Gods everlasting presence in my life and though him I am able to achieve the goals and will he has set forth for me. That through the trials and tribulations, the many unknowns that he is always there as a shining star of hope in every dark night that approaches..... Last but not least I am thankful for this unborn child that is growing inside me as we speak. This child was no accident, my husband & I prayed for this baby and tried for months to conceive him or her. God willing this baby will be healthy and Rob & I will be far better parents than we ever could hope to be (as a few more tears trickle down my cheeks). Oh and I'm thankful that I was able to attend each football game and band competition in 2013.... Love miss H & K. 

Hump Day

So Last night I made some chocolate chip cookies; today mocha cookies and for dinner Beef Paprika. YUM! I can't tell you how handy it is for me to go to my previous blog post for the recipe vs searching my house. I also cleaned our "new to us" crib. My sister-in-law gave it to me, not hardly used as my niece kayla didn't really like cribs. 

This Friday is the game of the year, East vs West and then Saturday our first band competition. So excited.

My mom spent the night in the hospital last weekend. She seems better but it was stressful. I love my moms and hope she won't have any future issues. Grateful that MHHS was able to place her on my unit. 

September

Picture 1: My beautiful nieces, Holly & Kayla at the last football game
Picture 2: Miss Kayla in the pretty guard uniform, theme Disney princesses
Picture 3:  Miss Holly winning Homecoming queen (I cried)
Picture 4: My baby bump, aka baby wattsy at 16 weeks gestation

So at 16 weeks now, really 16 1/2. Went through a period of backaches, now just once in awhile. Frequent headaches, most likely stress and/or allergy related. Baby's heart rate is 145, no movement yet. Next appointment the sonogram! YAY!!!

So I have a most of the "needs" for the baby...
-Donated crib (not put together yet and dad probably bringing my baby crib too)
- my mom bought a dresser & stroller/car seat combo
- few clothing items
- a starter bath set
-wipes & diapers
-starter set of bottles & pacifier

Of course there are tons of "wants" but if I fast forwarded 5 months, I'd have enough to bring home baby without a major "I'm not ready" meltdown. Will probably get a mattress in the next few weeks. And after we know the gender in a month will add lots of stuff to the registry (like baby blankets, clothes, whatever I haven't added due to gender influenced colors).

We are pretty excited around here. Baby on the way, favorite season is here (fall), football games and competitions starting soon, potential for my nieces to be in a Disney world parade, etc. Hopefully God will continue to bless our family, our growing baby-to-be, our jobs/finances, our pets (aka babies), our home and cars, and of course of family and hearts! I hope everyone is having a blessed Fall like we are and that it will continue through to the new year!!!

Baby Bump

My Baby Bump!

I'm 11 weeks pregnant, nearly 12 and into the 2nd trimester. Next Dr appointment is Tuesday!

200 days left until this family becomes 3

If you'd like to contribute to baby Watts we are registered at walmart.com and amazon.com