How to take it easy before the holidays start...

It's the week of Thanksgiving. Hard to believe, especially because we've had a November mostly in the 60's. This week had a bit of a cold snap with a little snow, but it's been a beautiful fall.

We had a pretty low key weekend. I started Friday with a trip to Linton with my mother to pick up the beef. Randy also stopped by to ensure that they got theirs. We got it all in the freezer and it looked good! We also took down a small wedding that night.

On Saturday, we headed to the big craft show! Matt isn't as wild about this one as others but I typically enjoy it. We bought a few Christmas presents and a present for ourselves too.
That afternoon, Matt went out to work cows, I put chair covers on at a wedding.

Sunday morning was a lazy day... we slept in and then measured our room for possibilities with a king sized bed. I'd like our room to be a foot wider... but I guess we all have to make sacrifices. We have one picked out that we like but we also want to redo our floor. It's tough to be an adult with choices! The rest of the day was pretty relaxed too, a trip to the farm, a limit of birds, a trip to Sam's. I love lazy weekends.

Best meal: it's been a weird week of meal. Nothing really stands out... I did make grilled cheese sandwiches with tomatoes and oregano that made my day! I guess I'm getting ready for warm/comfort food of winter!

Lola: Meow!
MJR: What?
Lola: Meeeow!
MJR: What?
Lola: Meoww!
MJR: Whhhat!!!!
Lola: Meeerr...
MJR: I love you too.

How to tell the first round of family...

We told two more people... much to the relief of my in-laws. We told Kevin while he was up for deer season and we called and let Judy know. Now my in-laws can finally talk about it with their respective siblings. Judy handled it much like my sister, there were some tears and some speechlessness. I also finally had to break down and start wearing maternity jeans. I've been squeezing into my regular clothes as long as possible because I don't want to buy a new wardrobe but after finally having some comfort and relief, I probably should have tried them on a week or two ago. We are still talking about letting it slip to the family and just aren't sure - we want to make sure everything is safe and good to go. We started small. Maybe Thanksgiving, maybe Christmas for the rest. I'm not sure we can hold off until Christmas as I'm starting to get a little bump. Looks like I've ate a huge meal all the time.

Name of the week: Evan
Cravings: things I'm not supposed to have... sandwich meat, grouper, over easy eggs
Pregnancy symptoms: Headaches, weight gain, running/stuffy nose, and lack of sleeping

MJR: Yeah, Judy, we won't be able to go on the cruise next spring. And I bet my mother's not going anymore too. 
Judy: Oh, okay.
MJR: Yeah, it will be a bummer but Amanda for sure can't go.
Judy: Why's that?
MJR: She'll probably just be out of the delivery room.
Judy, speechless crying begins.
ALR tears up too.
Judy: Oh that is awesome! That is so awesome!
Judy to grandson Liam: It's okay, Liam, these are happy tears.
Judy to MJR: He's worried about me! You guys are going to be the best parents.
MJR: You have more confidence in us right now than we do. I'm going to need to get a book for after the baby comes.
Judy: This is so awesome!
MJR: And baby's first plane ride will probably be your wedding in September.
Judy: This just keeps getting better and better!
MJR: Mom will be glad that you know.
Judy: I'm calling her right now!!!!

**This post was post-dated and released at a later date for reasons determined by ALR/MJR

How to enjoy Nov weather with OOS family....

Finally a week that isn't filled with mucinex, tylenol, and robitussinDM. I think I'm going to live!

Wednesday was Veteran's Day and Matt and I spent it with some of our favorite service members. We headed up to Lansford to see the family. Was great to spend time with Kevin, J, Randy and Michele, just visiting, catching up and we even made a trip into town. After a little shopping at the mall, we went to the Starving Rooster and enjoyed apps, pizza, and a few desserts. Was a great meal!

Thursday night was filled with prepping for a wedding. We put on chair covers for a couple hours.

Friday was another day to see out of state family as my cousin, Jake, met Matt and I, along with my cousin Kate and her family for lunch. Was good to catch up and see what's going on with him and his family. I had seen his girlfriend in Nashville so how ironic was it that he was able to get a trip to ND within the past month. That night we had an impromptu supper with my parents.

Saturday the good weather of ND continued. It's been a beautiful November with temps in the 60's and only frosts. We've been letting the cats out to enjoy the fun. I don't think they like the leaves but it has allowed us to prep the garden beds for next year's crop.

That night, Michele and Randy stopped on their way back from Minneapolis full of stories of where they'd eaten and what they'd seen on their quick relief trip away while Kevin and J watched Lee. We had given them a few recommendations and it was fun to hear that they enjoyed them. They even got one up on us as they tried a place that we hadn't had before.

Sunday was another around the house day. We did help weigh calves but Matt washed cars, I did laundry, and picked up. Was good to putter around.

Best meal: Starving Rooster... I had the ground hog, which was a white pizza with chicken, ham, and Italian bread crumbs.

MJR: I think we should go to Florida in January.
ALR: I think we need a king sized bed and want to replace the floor in the kitchen.
MJR: But we could do it for pretty cheap.
ALR: Are you just jealous that your parents are off doing things that we recommended and you are stuck at home not getting to see and eat fun things?
MJR wistfully: Maybe. 

Dear Matt:
I've decided if you can't beat them, join them.
Love your best friend forever -
Nike
p.s. Maybe it's Stockholm syndrome?

How to not go deer hunting.

Well, this weekend didn't go as planned.
We were supposed to go up to Lansford for annual deer opener.
We didn't go. Matt did. I stayed home and had a personal sulkfest because I was still sick.
Matt hung with family, ate wonderfully, and spent special time with Nike.
I ate soup and watched Harry Potter movies.
Matt went walking for deer (he didn't get a tag this year).
I took a nap.
Matt went goose hunting in the morning.
I cleaned up cat puke, twice and felt sorry for myself.
Matt had a good time and I was happy when he came home.
Don't get me wrong, sometimes it's nice to have a little time to yourself but I think I've reached my patience with being sick. I'm about over it and back to normal. The coughs are mostly gone...hoping the headaches follow suit. I am happy to say that I'm not strictly on a liquid diet now.

MJR and ALR have slept in separate rooms over the past week to avoid keeping the other awake with their fits of coughing.
In that week was the time change.
For the first time since 10/26 they slept in the same room.
MJR suddenly frantic: Honey, it's 7:00!
ALR angrily and madly and she rolls over with the covers: No! It's. Not.
MJR: Oh, it didn't get the time change?
Hours later ALR looks back and can understand his concern and felt bad for her morning rudeness. 

How to tell someone they are an aunt/uncle

Well, we let the cat a little more out of the bag... this past weekend, we told the siblings about baby.

Eric's response was a quick two word shock followed by a congratulations at the revelation that he'll be an uncle. Wish we could have told him in person but we'll hopefully see him in the coming year. Matt only had to call him Uncle Eric three times for him to catch on.

Alaina was a bit more responsive. I took a Amazon prime box, put in baby carrots, baby corn, and baby pickles with a folded up pic of the ultrasound and a note that said, "To: Auntie, Love: Amanda and Matt"

Name of the week: Eila
Cravings: nothing....still. Stupid cough.
Pregnancy symptoms: All things are drowned out by the coughs and headaches.

Alaina: What is all this stuff? (staring into box)
Alaina: baby carrots, baby corn, baby pickles (makes puzzled face)
Alaina: (sees note)
Alaina: Auntie! Are you pregnant?
ALR: (nods head)
The crying begins
Alaina: whabahabahaba
MJR: I didn't catch much of that
ALR and Alaina hug
Alaina: whaaabababhahaha
Diana: I think that means she's happy.
Alaina: wahbahahab (sniff sniff)
MJR: Reminds me of the wedding. This must be the good cry.
Alaina: (sniff sniff)

**This post was post-dated and released at a later date for reasons determined by ALR/MJR

How to still be sick...

A rundown of the past week and weekend...

I'm sick.
Matt's sick.
We are coughing.
It's very sad.
It was even more incredibly sad when Matt got sick because he's the only one in the house that's been able to do dishes or wash clothes or take care of the cats.
I'm not sure the coughing is ever going to stop.
Types of soup that I've had: beef noodle, knoefla, egg drop, chicken and stars, and oodles of chicken noodle. Matt doesn't like chicken noodle. Supper has been an "every one for themselves" type of ordeal.
I made a throne of pillows to sleep upon last night. 5 pillows just to prop myself up to prevent the coughing.
It worked.
Until 4:00. Then nothing worked.


ALR: COUGH cough Cough Cough
MJR: cough cough cough.
ALR: I'm so jealous, yours sounds like a nice, wet, cough.
MJR stares. 
ALR: COUGH COUGH COUGH