Constipated Elephant

Monday evening I noticed that the water pressure at our house seemed a bit off. It was so low that I thought it might have been turned off. Funny thing is, we never actually lost water.

After dinner I was cleaning up and noticed that the water pressure had returned to normal but now the pipes were making a weird groaning sound – like when there is air in them. I mentioned the problem to Daniel and we both agreed that it was most likely air that just need to be flushed out.

Tuesday, the sounds were getting worse so Daniel called the water company and learned that there had been some type of water problem in Scottsboro that led to us having the low water pressure and now the air the pipes. They assured us that the noises would dissipate in a couple of days.

It is now Thursday and the sounds are worse than ever. Every time we turn on the water, the pipes sound like a constipated elephant {Daniel's words}. We are getting a bit concerned as it is getting louder. I also think I heard the noise at least twice in the middle of the night when no water should have been running {though it is possible that the ice maker in the fridge was working and caused the sounds}. I just hope that one of our pipes doesn't break. That would be an absolute disaster.

*Update: Daniel went under the house and played with the pressure valves while I stood in the hall bathroom and turned the water on and off. And on and off. And on and off. You get the picture. We think the problem is fixed. No more constipated elephants in the household...

Pre 4th of July Shin Dig

The last few months have been crazy. We have been busy with one thing or another and haven't been able to have a get together with our local friends.

Compounding the problem is that TVA is currently implementing a program called "embedding" that has placed the younger engineers with various contracting groups at different locations. Lucky for us, Daniel was embedded at Bellefonte {where he actually works}. Several of the other engineers have been temporarily relocated to Chattanooga {on the upside for them, they get to stay in a city basically expense free}. This has made it difficult to hang out during the week {or on weekends because everyone has been busy}.

For the past two weeks, the engineers have all had training in Hollywood. I thought we should take advantage of the fact that people were in town so we invited a small group over to grill burgers and hot dogs and hang out. The guys played Corn Hole and we enjoyed visiting. We would have shot off some fireworks, but Daniel is a firm believer that it has to be absolutely dark before you do fireworks. Since it was a "school" night, everyone cleared out about the time it was dark enough. Oh well, we will shoot them off this weekend.

I love that even though the days are hot, the evenings are cool enough to be outside {as long as you can stand the mosquitoes}.

I have enjoyed having my workout partner back in town these past couple of weeks. I will be sad to have her gone again. Hopefully this embedding thing won't last too long.

Popcorn Popping

Week20.Day5.

I have been curious to find out what it is like to feel those first little movements of our baby. I am almost 21 weeks and had yet to feel so much as a flutter.

According to What to Expect While You're Expecting and BabyCenter.com, the first movements should feel something akin to popcorn popping.

I have often wondered what that means exactly... I know what it is like to hear popcorn pop and I have watched it pop, but how am I supposed to know what that feels like?

I think I finally have an answer. 

Late last night as I tried to get comfortable in bed {the pillows have Daniel and I significantly outnumbered}, I may have felt those first tiny flutterings. A popping on my right side, kind of high and near my ribs. The feeling eased after awhile and then started up again, this time on the left and low. It was an odd sensation.

I haven't felt it again, so I can't say for sure, but I think I at least know what it is like to feel popcorn popping.

One Year...

Exactly one year ago today, we received an offer on our house in Charlotte. So much has changed in the past year. We are so blessed to be back together again permanently. We are blessed to have sold a house in this horrible economy. We are blessed that Daniel has a stable job. We are blessed to be living closer to our families. 

Hollywood, Alabama isn't exactly somewhere we would have chosen to move to, but we choose to be happy in our situation. We are making friends. We have a nice home. We are expecting our first child. 

One year ago, none of this would have seemed possible. We are blessed beyond measure.

*Today is also special in that it is my Grandma's 90th Birthday... Happy Birthday Grandma! 

**It is also my sister-in-law and brother-in-law's third anniversary... Happy Anniversary Emily and Josh!

Sunday Date

After church we decided to run some errands in Huntsville. First stop was Target for me to pick up some maternity stuff. I have to say that I was pretty disappointed in Target's maternity section for clothes. Talk about frumpy stuff. I have decided that I am sticking with shirts that can double as things I would wear in real life and while I am pregnant... it's amazing what you can find in today's styles in the junior section that will fit over a pregnant belly. I think my saving grace {besides tums} will be the bra extenders I picked up {$6.99 for a six pack}. 

Anyways, after Tar-jay, we stopped at Phil Sandoval's for lunch. They offered outdoor seating and it was cool enough {in the shade} to enjoy eating outside. Daniel tried the Lunch Chicken Quessadilla and I had the Lunch Taco Salad. Both were great. We really enjoyed the fresh chips and salsa before the meal as well. We will definitely be back.

After lunch we went over to the Dollar Theater to see a matinee.

When we finally made it home {around 4PM}, Sophie greeted us outside {in case you don't know she is an INDOOR dog}. We were kind of scratching our heads as to how she got out. Daniel checked the house to make sure there was no foul play and discovered that we had left our back door wide open after eating breakfast on the porch. Oops. Thankfully we live in a very safe area. We are also thankful that Sophie didn't decide to run away {we don't have a fence}. Our electric bill may not make us as thankful. The funny thing is that on our way to Huntsville, Daniel asked me if we had locked the back door and I told him that he was being paranoid...

We have light again!

We now have a functioning light/fan in our living room again. Yay for not having to always walk through a dark living room! Yay for no longer having a 9-ft ladder or 18 feet of scaffolding in the middle of the living room! Yay that we had no injuries during this process! Yay that we can have people over to our house again!

Interestingly, four years TO THE DAY, Daniel finished installing all of our lights/fans in our house in Charlotte.

 

Don't Try This at Home Kids

For the last month we have had a ladder set up in the middle of our living room. Our ceiling fan had decided to cease and desist so Daniel is replacing it.

Unfortunately for us the fan and light had been wired to the same switch. Daniel wants them to be on separate switches because the remote control for Hunter fans has a tendency to crap out {ours included}.

Since we have been traveling all over creation, Daniel started the project but never finished it. In addition, this project was going to need scaffolding to complete since our ceiling is 25 feet high.

Yesterday Daniel rented the scaffolding and tonight we set it up. Being that I am pregnant, I am probably not the best person to be helping construct heavy scaffolding. Daniel rigged up a series of pulley systems and we were able to put it together.

When he goes to take it down, I am voting that he gets someone else to help him... any volunteers???

Greeting Cards: Lazy Days of Summer

*This is the sixth in my series of twelve "I Love You More" cards 
that I have designed and will be posting throughout the year.

© Cheree Moore 

19Weeks.4Days.

We have almost made it to the halfway mark...

• Sleeping is getting more uncomfortable. 
• I still haven't felt any kicks {or flutters}. 
• We have another 2+weeks before we find out gender {we are a little behind schedule due to traveling}. 
• No cravings to date. 
• The metallic taste in my mouth has finally subsided. 
• I am keeping up with yoga {M/W} and kickboxing {T/Th}. 
• I have had to slow down on the running as I can't go more than 1 mile without my bladder feeling like it will explode... yoga teacher says I should consider swimming instead.
• My stomach is sticking out more and I have gained about 6 pounds. 
• I can still wear most of my normal clothes – I am thankful to my sister for her donation of maternity clothes.
• My lower back aches late in the day.  
• Heartburn continues to plague me – mostly in the evenings. 
• We received our first baby gifts this past weekend – a little shirt from Ireland {thank you Angela, Robert and Izzy} and a baby blanket from Disney World {thank you Emily and Josh}.

Father's Day

Daniel and I were blessed to be able to see both of our dad's on Father's Day. 
Sadly, no one took pictures...

Daniel also used this weekend to take advantage of a Father's Day Sale at Lowe's and bought himself {err, us} a grill. Now we can FINALLY throw dinner on the grill instead of heating up the oven in the middle of a hot summer.

Daniel grilled steaks last night for our steak salad {recipe based off of Pioneer Woman's Big Steak Salad}. It was delish and grilling really made a big difference in taste. 

Can't wait to have people over for a cookout :)

Finding Nemo Birthday Party

I wanted to give my little sister props for throwing a fabulous 2nd birthday party for her daughter, Izzy. I helped with the invitations and some basic decorating, but Angela went ALL OUT with ideas and creativity.

She made a beautiful cake... when did she turn into a little artist?

And cute star-shaped cookies. As wells as tons of great food to eat.

 

She had crafts – bravely getting a gaggle of two-year olds to paint...

AND make take home gifts.

She wrangled a house full of people – all while functioning on next to no sleep.

Angela – you are an amazing mom and wonder woman when it comes to doing all of the things you did to make this party go smoothly!

Happy 2nd Birthday Izzy!