Top of the Hill

So my sister pointed out that I hadn't blogged in awhile, so I thought I would get on and do a little writing. It isn't like I haven't had things to talk about. Actually, I have a draft list that has 5 or 6 half done blogs, but I just couldn't seem to concentrate. Sleeping was so much better!

So, the big ticket item: I'm 20 weeks today. "At the top of the hill". The way up the hill has been pretty easy. I wasn't sick and I didn't have any complications. Opie might think differently, he had to deal with my raging hormones more than I did. He lived though.

My expectation for the hill going back down: Uncomfortableness... I have a tiny little belly; Big enough that I can't button my pants, but still not anywhere near what I thought I would be so far. I think we can rule out twins since I'm still so small.

We have our first ultrasound next Monday. We aren't going to find out the sex of the baby. When people ask and I tell them that we aren't finding out, people seem to think that I care what they think about the decision. Well... I guess people have been reasonably nice when they don't agree, but some have been down right rude. But like I said, I don't care if people think it is stupid or not. It's not their baby, deal with it. I have my reasons; None of which I need to share.

The biggest challenge so far as been picking out baby stuff. One, I don't know what I need and don't need. Two, there are a gazillion different brands of everything and I can't seem to decide which I want.

I've felt the baby move, usually I don't realize that is what it is until I am resting. It's very weird. I know it will get even more weird once I recognize it's body parts moving across my belly.

Well, that is all I have to report right now. More to come I am sure!

Lake Odessa Farmers Market. Help?

I've been reading the Lakewood News about this Farmers Market for which the township would like to build a new building for down by the fairgrounds. I don't feel like I was properly informed about this to have an opinion on the situation, so maybe you can help get my questions answered.

First of all, it is VERY frustrating for these newspaper stories and reader comments to say that this is going to be great for the community and say that people don't understand because they just don't have "all the facts" WELL, let us know what the facts are!

My Questions:

1. Why isn't the current building that is up at the fairgrounds good enough? Or any building downtown that is abandoned?

2. Isn't there already a Farmers Market up at the fairgrounds?

2a. How it is doing? Are people showing up to buy things? Are farmers making money?

2i. If not, why? Is it because they don't have a formal building?

2ii. If so, why do we need a building to house it when it is already doing well?

I know there has been a lot of talk about how a Farmers Market has done well in other cities. It has been well known that Farmers Markets have helped communities a lot. But, how many of those Farmers Markets were 1/2 miles+ away from the heart of downtown? The farm markets in all of the towns that were mentioned in the Lakewood News were all in the downtown of that town.

If you think this will stimulate the community and get people to come to Lake Odessa, it's going to be hard when they don't even need to go downtown to get there. If you're going to start a farm market, why not start it downtown where our struggling business are? JMO

Gravida

I'm pregnant! It's still weird for me to say. I haven't had an ultrasound or heard the heartbeat yet, so it all seems like it isn't really happening (if it wasn't for those spot on symptoms).

With this little Gummy Bear comes things I knew were going to happen and some things I didn't expect.

Telling people was fun. Especially my families and closest friends. However, telling people has given me my first expectation. Advice. Now, I like it when people give me advice, but it really all depends on how they give the advice. A lot of people will start out with "Well, this is what worked for me" but that statement can come with two tones. 1) This worked for me, but it might not work for everyone. 2) This worked for me, it will work for you. Then there is the advice that is more a long the lines of "You need to do this". For those of you that know me, I don't do well with people telling me what I need to do. These people have been challenging. Especially since my hormones are all out of wack. I've been good. I've taken the advice, but ultimately we are going to do what we think is best. So, next time you think to give advice on anything, please be considerate and try not to tell people to do something or suggest they should do what worked for you. Nothing works for everyone.

Week 7 Day 6

The Hunger Game Trilogy

I like to read, but I am picky about the type of book. I rarely like real life like books. I like the occasional biography, but what I really enjoy is "fantasy" books with some action in them. If a book can't grab my attention, it is no good. I will end up reading the same sentence 10 times.

For the people that know me, they know that Happy Potter is my most favorite book series ever. However, I found my second favorite series of books though. The Hunger Games Trilogy.

I first saw a friend on Facebook comment that she read the first book and loved it, then I saw that it was being turned into a move. I read the snopsis and it looked like just what I enjoy. Action, Adventure, and fiction.

I asked for the first book The Hunger Games for my birthday and read it on my way to Florida. GREAT Book! Even being in Florida couldn't keep me from reading as much as I could.

Then I went and bought the second book Catching Fire and read that in two days! It was also a great book for the second book in a series.

The next day I went a bought the third book The Mockingjay. I read it in a day! I couldn't put it down! Even though I didn't like the ending, I still loved the trilogy.

I would suggest these books to anyone who likes fictional adventure stories. It kept me interested and hanging on. It didn't quite have a pallor of Harry Potter, but I'm not sure I will ever find a book to do that!

Enjoy!

What is Failure?

I was talking to a friend the other day. She pointed to a guy and told me that she thought that he was cute. I told her to go and talk to him. She then told me that she didn't think she could and that she was too chicken. I have little to no concept of this. If I want something, I go and get it. This whole conversation got me thinking of the word 'Failure'

Failure is defined as an act or instance of failing or proving unsuccessful; lack of success. Well, that is the Dictionary.com definition anyway.

Personally, my definition of Failure is different. I don't see failure as someone being "unsuccessful" (insert snide air-quotes). Here is my definition of Failure: Not trying because one is afraid of being unsuccessful.

I would rather have tried and "Failed" than not try at all. And even if I do try and "fail", at least I know I gave it my all and it was just not meant to be! I'm not scared of failure.

I'm scared of missing out on something because I didn't try. Possibilities are limitless and you are never going to know what you're capable of until you try!

Please Stop Complaining about Gas Prices

Gas Prices seem to be high on a lot of people's list of complaints. Please stop! You aren't going to do anything by complaining on Facebook or Twitter!

I try to live by 'You can't complain about something if you're not doing anything to change it'. People complain about the gas prices but don't do anything about it and keep buying gas! They are just buying into it.

Very few people can tell me that if you had a Supply and there was a Demand for it, you wouldn't be doing the same thing. It is a rat race people! Everyone is looking out of Number 1 and the gas companies know that we in the U.S. rely on gas more than other import.

THEN, when companies try to get US oil and some mistakes are made, people then complain and complain about how oil is ruining ocean life and people are losing jobs! Can't we win?

As my husband pointed out earlier, you have to factor inflation into the gas prices. You can't expect gas prices to be the same as last year and definitely not two years ago. The cost of living constantly goes up; prices on everything else will too. It seem like everybody expects to get a raise every year but doesn't expect products to get more expensive. Your pay is dependent on the product you sell/develop/make etc.

So, please stop complaining unless you are trying to do something about it. To those of you that are doing something, thank you for trying to better the gas demand and make our planet better at the same time.

If you feel very passionately about changing the gas demand, DO SOMETHING. Go (back) to school for engineering, research how to make the best electric car, go buy an electric car, ride your bike to work, walk places instead of driving, lay off the gas pedal and go at a constant speed rather than gunning it from stop lights and constantly speeding. Think before speaking then act on it!