16 Weeks 3 Days Today....

Well I have not updated lately, mostly because there isn't much to say! I am now in the second trimester and fourth month! It is going by actually pretty fast. I have my next appoinment next week, January 7th, and she will schedule my ultrasound 2 weeks after that so we can find out what baby is! We are really really excited. We had talked about not finding out what it is, but there is pretty much no way that I can feel prepared if I don't find out. So three more weeks it is! Wooo Hooo. Here is the picture I took of the belly at 16 weeks. Certain days or times of day, it is bigger some smaller. I have not gone to weigh myself the past week, but I imagine I am finally gaining. I freaked out after gaining three lol. But it's all for a good reason! Let's see, I still feel pretty normal. Have never been sick, been healthy, just sore sometimes. My tummy gets the pulling and stretching feeling, and my hips are bothering me more now, leaving me a tad bit restless. Other than that, I feel great. Been a little lax about the gym, but the holidays were here and I just wanted to relax and enjoy eating lots of great food. So starting tonight, we are back in it. I still have yet to try a prenatal yoga class, the last time I tried going (at 14 weeks) there was instructor issues and the class was cancelled. So hopefully this Thursday I will get to try it out. I can image how good it feels to stretch. I feel like I need to be pulled in four different directions right now. Not much else to report right now, I will definitely be on here in about 3 weeks to announce the BIG NEWS. Boy or girl....what do you think? If it is a girl, I think we have agree'd on a name. To be announced later. It is a family name.

We did find out that my cousin Matt and his girlfriend are having a baby boy in May! Congrats to them! We shall see what ours is soooon. Love ya'll, and hope you all had a Merry Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Be safe!

Reflections - 3rd Month

Finally caught up! Now they will come at the end of each month....not all together!

What I am enjoying about my pregnancy so far is.....
Well, I really dont feel different or look much different so it is hard to say. I did tell a co-worker that people arent going to think I'm pregnant, they are going to think I got a boob job! Haha....

The strangest advice I've received so far.....
Haven't really got any so far, but a while back my friend Kat told me that she rubbed meat tenderizer on her belly to avoid stretch marks. She never got one. Hmmm....may have to invest in this stuff!

Names we've been thinking of.....
We have a few we like. But no boy names really. Flip flop between liking a name one moment and unsure about it the next. Currently, I like Jenna Kate.

I think the baby will be a.....
Girl. Joe thinks he ONLY makes boys. So we will see.

The oldwives tales predict.....
Since I have heartburn the baby will have a lot of hair. Joe's Grandma Sally did the needle test and said it is a girl. Since I now lay on my right side when sleeping, its a girl. I also did the chinese calendar thing a few times, but always got a different answer.

At my prenatal appt this month I found out.....
I got my first ultrasound and the baby's hearbeat was 175 BMP. Also that there was only one baby, not twins like I hoped lol.

My hopes.....
Same, healthy pregnancy and baby. Happy family! Can't wait to start!

My fears.....
Feared I wouldnt be able to have kids, then got pregnant and feared losing it. My fears now have dissipated, and I'm just hoping to keep in shape and gain weight at a healthy pace.

Reflections - 2nd Month

The hardest thing for me to give up.....
Cab-Zin Wine from St. Clair's. Oh man, how I miss their red wine and bread....together.

This month I told.....
Pretty sure everyone new the week I found out. It is not something I could keep secret. We were waaaay too excited to not spread the news. Our families were so happy!

I learned at this month's prenatal appt.....
That she doesnt normally do ultrasounds until 20 weeks. I was sad, because I want to see it and make it real. I talked her into giving me one though....I got it at 9weeks 5days. Baby was great. HB was 175.

New pregnancy symptoms I got this month.....
No real change. Less tired and had much more energy towards the end.

My hopes.....
For a healthy pregnancy and baby!

My fears.....
Same

Reflections - 1st Month

I found a neat blog site that allows you to journal about your pregnancy, and they also ask you questions about your pregnancy. So I figured I would add them to my blog so I could remember them forever. Perhaps some of you will find it interesting/funny/informational too. Ha. Enjoy.

I first started thinking I was pregnant when.....
Well my BB's were super sore and I was exhausted ALL the time. I would come home after work and sleep for a few hours every day. I had NO motivation for anything.

I found out I was pregnant.....
On September 29th 2009, 3 days before my period was supposed to start. It never came YAY! Tested twice and it all went on from there.

I felt.....
Disbelief. I could not believe this was happening. We had really only tried 2-3 months. I didn't believe it would happen that fast. Nevertheless, my lifelong dream of becoming a Mom was starting to come true! And I was.....STOKED!

The first person I told was.....
Kelli. My sister in law. I didnt read the directions in the pregnancy test, and my second line was faint, so I asked her if it still meant postitive. She laughed and said yes. She said she knew I was pregnant a week before this.

My first prenatal appointment I learned.....
I didnt learn much. I have read up on this subject FOR YEARS. I did learn that I shouldnt work out my stomach muscles, doing crunches etc, because of how the muscles seperate.

My baby will be born.....
estimated due date is June 11, 2010. Joe is hoping the baby will come on his birthday, June 15th. To which he says, "I don't have to change diapers on my birthday." Ha. We'll see about that!

The strangest pregnancy symptom I've had this month.....
Getting up to use the restroom many times a night.

My hopes.....
Is that this baby is healthy. That is all I pray for.

My fears.....
Miscarriage. I am a worry wort what can I say. I also gave blood for the first time ever! I was scared about that as well.

Week 10 and 3 days :)

Today we saw
Our first glimpse of you.
A little piece of Heaven
Our dream come true.
The day we will meet
Seems so far away.
But until you are ready
In my womb safely stay.
Our gift from Angels
Sent from above
For us to cherish
And forever love.

Well I had an Ultrasound last Wednesday and we got to see the baby! He/She is doing great! It is sooooo incredibly amazing to see it move in there, and you can't see or feel it yet. Here is the first picture! That Wed, she dated me at 9weeks 5days, so the due date is one whole day later than we thought. Moving it to June 11th, 2010! So yay! Could not be happier. I really wish I could have a look inside anytime I wanted. It is so cool!

Have not updated for almost 4 weeks, and not much has changed. Been kinda lazy since Joe had his surgery. But started back at the gym today. Gonna try my first prenatal yoga class this Thursday. Been feeling great! The sleepiness has dissappeared almost completely and I have had no morning sickness still. Thank God. I feel lucky. Still no baby bump, unless I am bloated haha. I can notice a change in digestion, as all the books made me well aware of. But really, all is well! Can't wait for 20 weeks to come so I know wether to call "it" a he or a she.

Thanksgiving is next week and we are heading to Texas. My parents will be there, and the rest of the family is heading down too. Im very excited to have the whole family together this year. Its gonna be great. Not to mention, were going to the game, should be lots of fun! Should be a nice vacation for sure. Joe will get his wires off right before we leave and he will be rubberbanded, so he can squeeze softer food into his mouth. Eek. Poor guy. Anyhow, this update is kinda short. But I am sure, much more FUN and COOL stuff is to come! Take care everyone, and I'll update when we get back from Thanksgiving.

Week 6

Well we are now at week six and 1 day :) I am feeling better than I did last week. The cramping has subsided so that is better. Other than that, just some tenderness and frequent bathroom visits. Still don't really believe that this is all true, but I will once I get to hear my baby's little heartbeat. I have been working out still, running on the elliptical and light weightlifting. I plan on continuing that up until the end. I am going to start prenatal yoga in a couple weeks. My gym offers a class, so it should be interesting. I hear it is good to stretch daily and all that to help with labor. We shall see. I'm also avoiding all caffeine. I know it is safe in small amounts, but whats the point? I can still have decaf. I missed tea so much in the last few weeks, Joe and I went to Costco and bought a big box of the decaf stuff. I've yet to make any, Sonic was always so much more convenient haha. Anyways, I am going to be posting progress pictures up on my blog so we can all see the belly change. It isn't any different right now, but it's definitley in there!! Starting weight was 121. Let's hope I don't gain 40 pounds.

We are preparing for Joe's surgery, he is not looking forward to it, frankly neither am I. It is scary, and will not be a fun recovery. I ordered him netflix yesterday, and it is really cool, because now, you can watch movies instantly on your laptop. So while he is laying in bed, he has a selection of many movies at his fingertips. So keep him in your prayers. His mouth will be wired shut for about 6 weeks I think.

Well, not much to report this week. We got our first gifts though! My Mom and Dad got us a bib and an soft blanket. Exciting! I can't wait! Thanks Mom and Dad! We love you! Also this week Matt (my cousin, and his girlfriend Renee) had an ultrasound because they could not hear the babies heartbeat. The US came back fine thank God, but they found out that instead of being 12 wks, she is only 9 wks. Which puts our babies about 3 weeks apart. Sooo cool! Maybe she can hold out to May 25th and have the baby on my birthday :)

Description of what is happening during week 6. "Growth is slow, but this is the most important growth stage of your pregnancy. Early brain formation begins, the eyes begin to develop, and tiny buds that will grow into arms and legs appear. In many babies, the heart begins to contract during this week and actually starts to beat, but it will be a while yet before you can feel that. "

It's Official!! 9-29-2009

Were expecting a baby! Yup! I tested on Wednesday, September 29th and got a positive test. Tested again on October 1st and got another. Waaaahoooo, were stoked!

September 29th, I woke up as usual and got ready for work. I was going to the bathroom more than usual. I was coming home from work extremely tired, so that day after work, I bought a test. It showed a bright line and a faint line, so I called my sister in law (since I didn't read instructions) to see if this meant I was really truely pregnant! She said that I was, and it just confirmed my suspicions! So I called up the doctor and set up my first appointment. Joe was on his way home right when I got the results, and I had dinner ready for him when he got home. I put the test on a board under the table so I could grab it and give it to him when he least expected it. It was his first day at his new job as a detective in crimes against children. We sat down at the table, and I told him that I loved him and he said, "thanks" lol. I had kind of interruped his thought process, and I asked him, "well do you love me too?" And he said, "of course!" All I could say was "I hope so," as I slid the test across the table to him. He immediatley smiled and kissed me, and said, "that was fast." But he was super excited.

I love seeing Joe excited about this, it makes me so happy! We had only tried for about 3 months, so I was relieved how easy it was. Anyways, I had my appointment this Wed the 7th. Doctor said everything looked great, I'm still early, just five weeks today. So she confirmed the pregnancy and gave me a due date of June 10th, 2010. We couldnt be happier. I was even brave going to get my blood drawn for the first time in my life, that I can actually remember. Ugh, I was dreading that, but it went well.

Other than that, life couldnt get much better. Joe likes his new job so far, and has had about 5 cases. Keep his job in your prayers, as some of this stuff is no good. Also pray for me and baby! Yay! I pray it all goes well, and we deliver a happy healthy baby here in the nine months! Thanks to all our supportive family and friends! We love you all!

Here is the picture we showed to all our parents to announce the exciting news! We did the same thing when we got engaged, so it only seemed fit to do it again for this next big chapter!

PLUME Wedding - Texas Sept 26th, 2009

This past weekend Joe and I drove out to Texas to see family and to attend my good friend Calais's wedding. The weather was awesome, little humid, but not too bad. We got there Friday afternoon and met up with my brother, Kelli, and Kostyn at Aunt Gail's house. We were planning on going to Calais and Matt's house for the rehersal dinner, but due to time constraints we went to dinner with family. Guess where? Of course, nowhere else but BABE'S! My favorite. Here is a picture of family outside waiting to eat. Mmmm, chicken fried steak with jalapenos, potatos, corn, salad, biscuits. Gosh I want some right now just thinking about it. Everyone needs to go to this place. Highly recommended for sure! So we had dinner, and hung out with my grandma before she headed home. The next morining we shopped till we dropped, but didnt really buy much. I got some jewelry and a new pair of running shoes. Then we headed home to get ready for the wedding. The church was beautiful and so were the dresses etc. Matt works for Grapevine FD so this is what they got to ride to and from the church in. It was SO adorable! The bridal party got to ride in the back part. Anyways, the ceremony was great. She had her reception in the most PERFECT place ever. It was adorable. Called Austin Ranch, with plenty of space for people to move around and chat. And a HUGE dance floor, which at most places, is usually really small. We had a great time with a lifelong friend, and Matt, it was awesome finally getting to meet you! You two are great together. Here is a picture of all of us with the happy new Husband and Wife. The rest of the night, we just danced the night away, until they took off in their little red firetruck off to the hotel. Now the lucky ducksare celebrating in Hawaii. Soooo jealous! Love you all! And here is to the new Plume family! Yaaay!
This just released! The YOUTUBE video of their awesome first dance! Hahaha, be sure to check this out!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGIVtOLf5mY

NM Wine Festival September 6th, 2009

This will be a short post, but we went to the wine festival on Saturday, Sept 6th with some great friends and family. Just wanted to post some pictures of all of us there. My favorite as always is St. Claire's Cab-Zin. Kira and I absolutely LOVE it. Not to mention the food at the restaurant is amazing. The group we went with was aweseome. Consisted of Kira H. and her husband Matt, Kira N., Michael, Sarah, Kelli, Joe and I. This bunch of people are so much fun, and I can't wait until we all get together again for more good times. Perhaps a bbq is in order.


Oh yeah! That morning before we went to the wine festival we poured a concrete patio in our backyard. Here is a picture of the finished product. Thanks to Matt, Brad, Dad, and Gary for your help in this project! It was some hard work! Kostyn even made an appearance to help out with it!

San Diego, CA - August 30, 09

End of August, Joe and I decided to take a trip to California. I was ready to get away from home and beach it with him! We had so much fun. Joe had not been to SD since he was little, and so we decided to go check it out again. The first day we checked out Little Italy, it was very cool. Lots of neat little shops, and the day we were there we witnessed an Italian Funeral complete with music from the Godfather, and Taps on a horn. It was interesting. Also they had a street market with the most beautiful flowers and tasty italian treats, etc. I always love the almond crossaints. Someday, flying star will start selling them again. It was weird, all the mafia looking italians walking around everywhere. The church was beautiful. The architecture there is amazing.

Later on we decided to head to a beach, but all the beaches in SD were SUPER crowded, so we finally found a parking place and did some shopping around the beach where Joe got some flip flops and we found a place named "Hodads" to eat lunch. This is one of the most popular burger joints in SD. It was pretty good, and they had HUGE onion rings. I love onion rings. Anyhow, the place was super crowded and was playing some very loud music by Metallica. Which of course he loved. I enjoyed it, something different for sure. That day was kinda just a bunch of exploring. We drove around the Gaslamp District to see what all that was about, and it was bar after bar after bar, and lots of shopping. It was so crowded on that night we decided to just go back to the hotel and sleep, so we could get up and do lots the next day. The next day we decided to drive to some other beaches further away, in hopes they wouldnt be soooo crowded. It worked. We made it to Huntington Beach and it was a blast. We shopped, ate, body boarded, and checked out the pier. There were a TON of surfers at this beach but it was lots of fun. Joe had a little accident hahaha on his boogie board, the ocean swept him under and he hit his face on the ocean floor, leaving him coming up with a MOUTHFUL of dirt that was stuck in his braces lol. Poor guy.

That night we had a delicious dinner near the ocean with the most beautiful sunset and some great shopping. We witnessed a man laying on a bed of nails, and 6 grown men standing on top of him. It was a cute place with good entertainment. Here are some random pictures of the vaca!

The last day in SD we went to Sea World, it was fun, but got old after a few hours. I'll go back with my niece or nephew when they are old enough to go, but not without kiddos next time. We at some expensive crappy food, and got splashed by Shamu and his dolphin friends. Touched starfish and stingrays, looked at sharks and other fun things. My favorite was the baluga whales, they were sooo adorable! Not something you normally get to see, and it was cool.

It was a sad sad day having to come home. We were not looking forward to it, but now we cant wait to go back. We loved the beach so much. The place is just beautiful!

Camping May 09'

Hello all! Hope you are all doing wonderful.

This past weekend, Joe and I were able to get out of town briefly to go camping with his mom and step-dad in Pecos, NM. His Dad actually went down and took his ex-step sister in laws children as well. (Complicated, maybe) but we had fun! There was a lot of people to hang out with, so yay! We drove down early Saturday morning and met up with his mom who had already got down there on Friday morning, after just having a hernia surgery Thurday morning. Crazy lady! Anyways, they have a really nice camper that we stayed in. I never would have thought "camping" was really camping in a camper (that's a lot of camp words in one sentence haha) but hey, it was SO nice. Everything stays clean and organized. Joe and I decided we really like it.

We also decided to bring Bailey (our dog) along on this trip. Boy did she LOVE it. She is such a good dog, doesn't stray, and love going hiking and fishing with us. She loves the water, if you can't tell from that picture. Freezing cold water, but still she ran through it, although shivering her poor legs off haha. We warmed her by the fire and she enjoyed all the attention. Joe and I had a fishing contest, that of course I won, I caught 3 fish and he caugh 2. Phew. We also took the kids on a hike, and ran into some wildlife along the way. Here are some pictures of all that we saw....

Snakes, bear tracks and deer! What a hike. Not to mention the beautiful views from the top. We had to do some rock climbing and the hill we went up in the beginning KICKED MY BUTT. I'm definitly out of cardio shape! Pics from the hike and the views....

When it started raining on us, we decided that it was time to head back. The rain was short lived and we decided that we wanted to go fishing some more and we ended up in a water war with the kids. They decided they wanted to go "swimming" in the river....with a little help from Joe. Those kids love him...

Anyways, thats about it. We had fun, and can't wait for the next camping trip. Next time I want to try the Jemez, we have not camped there in forever.

Today's Hike!

Hello family and friends! Hope your weekend has been great so far. Right now I am babysitting the little boy I am watching on the side, he is napping, so I'm taking this time not to nap too, but to blog about the hike I took Joe on today. I didn't tell him where we were going just to put on his walking shoes and sunscreen.

It was beautiful. The place is called Tent Rock National Monument. It is just about an hour away from home near the Cochiti Lake. Here is a picture we took when we got there. It was cold, I didn't think it would be, but I had a sweater in my car so that's good. Anyways, here is a picture of the information about the park. You can click to enlarge it to read it if you are curious about what exactly these are and how they were formed etc. There are two trails you can hike on and they are both very different and interesting.


Here is a cave/shelter that was in the formations. It has seats and a window. It was really neat as well.

The first trail we went on was my personal favorite, most fun. It is slot canyon trail, which is 1.5 miles one way. The beginning of the path is wide and you work your way up to the canyon area. It was so beautiful. The trail narrows into a canyon that is just a few feet apart. Walking through these formations made me feel so small. Here are some pictures of our hike on the slot canyon trail and the cave trail. That one lead us to the tent rocks. So cool!

Anyways, I tried but there isn't much more to say, we stopped at Cochiti Lake on the way home. It was windy and cold and kids were still swimming. Crazy's!

Seems Fitting...

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime..

When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be.Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand.What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life.

Life Updates

Alrighty, so I'm sure at this point most of you are wondering what I am doing. People close to me know what my life has been like the past year or so. Let me tell you, it is improving and I am figuring it out.

Joe and I seperated last year, and thought that we were never going back. It's been awfully hard on both of us, we have been through great times and some depressing times, but one way or another, we always "sorta" kept in touch. We definitley had moments when we did not talk at all, but always found our way back.

The past year, I have made some really great friends that I will never ever forget, and met up with some I haven't seen in years. I was able to travel to places I have never been, and took some crazy chances. Everyone that I met on the way taught me many valuable things about life. I watched them, learned about them and discussed things with them all, that have really changed me as a person. I feel so grateful for them all.

Last summer I traveled to the lake with my volleyball team several times, went to Lake Powell, Seattle, DC and Virginia ALL BEAUTIFUL places.I want to say thank you to everyone for traveling with me and introducing me to your families and friends, every one of you is so blessed with amazing families and strong faith, and thanks for the wonderful memories. You will never know how blessed I feel for having such wonderful people surround me. I hope that somehow, someway, I have impacted your lives as you have mine.

Powell Powell D.C Arlington Nat. Cemetary

Seattle, WA Seattle, WA

I have been keeping busy on my volleyball team, watching my beautiful niece grow and attending Church with my wonderful friends Adam and Stacy. I thank you all for keeping me busy! I am looking for a new job since Moses closed the store, my hours are cut to about 20 hrs a week. I picked up a babysitting job on the side for some extra money until I find something full time. Let's hope that comes SOON! My birthday is next week, so I'm trying to get something fun planned other than that life is good!

Joe and I have officially decided to get back together and work on our marriage. We have been spending so much time together and it feels right. We have experienced so much apart, and have grown up and made appropriate changes, we feel now things can go on. I have prayed so much for God's guidance, and here we are, and it feels like we are where we are supposed to be. I am very happy and he is too. Thank you everyone for all of your support. I hope you can see how happy we are and pray for us! We look forward to making many many more wonderful memories.

Roadtrip to Texas

Okay so last weekend I had a job interview in Texas. I was interviewing with one of my Uncle's plastic surgeons friends. Not sure at the moment how it all went, but that is okay. It is all in God's will and timing where I will end up working. So I asked Joe to come along. We drove down late Thursday night and drove to Amarillo, arrived at the Holiday Inn Express at 6am and slept for three hours. Ate a pretty gnarly breakfast in the lobby and were out the door by 9:45 am. The first night we stayed at Joe's Aunt Loretta's house. We just chilled out and ordered a pizza and played some rock band. I was so tired, and ready for bed, but the ride down Joe and I got officially hooked on Prision Break, so we had to one one more episode. To all those that have never seen it, you should. You too will be hooked.

Anyhow, the next day we woke up and we got ready and had lunch with his Aunt at The Cheesecake Factory. Delicious. Then we chatted a little more, and went to Friscoe to meet up with my cousin Molly and her new husband. It was so nice to get to see them, it had been so long! Her family is so beautiful. God has really blessed those two, and I am so glad she is happy.

After a quick visit there we took the 25 minute drive to my Aunt's house in Southlake. My grandparents were there as well and we all went to dinner at my favorite restaurant on earth. Babe's. Hole in the wall, yes, but oh my gosh! Okay, so I totally love chicken fried steak, this is the place to go. All they serve is chicken fried steak and fried chicken. Then you get family size portions of mashed potatoes, corn (so good) gravy, and the best homemade biscuits around. All you can eat! And it's even BYOB if you so feel like it. Anyhow, when you're in TX be sure to check it out.

After eating we went and watched a Ranger's game. They kicked the White Sox's booty. I love a good baseball game. And the new Cowboy's stadium is SWEET by the way! Monday I interviewed and Tuesday we drove home.

But....we sorta on a whim picked up the newest member of our family.....an 8 week old Doberman that Joe decided to call "Marley." Gosh I love that movie....She is so smart! I took this picture on a road side "pee stop." Such a good picture! Anyhow, that is the newest member of the Brown family. I will keep you posted on her changes and how she grows :) Her and Bailey are getting along better all the time. She met Joe's moms new Weimerainer puppy Pearl and they played all night long, she also has met my niece Kostyn....socialization is key!

I should stop rambeling now.....I hope you all have enjoyed this so far.....I'm new still, so bear with me! Sweet dreams!

Getting Started : )

Hello friends and family. I'm finally getting started up on here. It's definitely a work in progress, it's strange on here, getting used to a new program and all. I have a lot to update on, so be waiting for that. I'm off Friday, so my first real post should be up then! Thanks for stopping by, and I really can't wait to get started.
Love Always, Katy