On the road to baby H, SA...

Aaron's analysis was scheduled for Tuesday October 25, 2011. I got a call from Dr. Mantione later that afternoon with the results of the test.

He said that it everything was fine. Not the best, but ok. At the time I was dealing with an upset baby (who wouldn't take her nap) plus a 16 month old who was doing everything in her power to wake everyone else up, so the conversation was short and sweet. I couldn't think of any questions at the time. Although, now I'd like to ask...

What exactly do you mean, "not the best, but ok"

What were the numbers and motility and morphology?

What can we do to increase/better these results?

Should we abstain for a certain number of days/hours between BD during the ovulation window?

What does this mean for our fertility? Does it increase, decrease or maintain our chances of conceiving naturally without assistance?

Weekend Planning...

3:33 AM on a Friday morning! UGH...so this should be an interesting day.

Once again time for the Weekend Planning Blog Hop with Molly @ My Happy House. Here goes:

Friday:
Work 6:30am - 5pm -- and try to survive & enjoy it on 4 hours sleep
30 min run/walk -- in an effort to begin some sort of workout regimen
Clean bathroom
1 load of laundry: wash, dry, fold, & put away
Clean daycare desk
Do one step of the Express Cleaning Challenge +

Saturday:
Sleep in -- yep...it's a to do. I'll need the rest I'm sure.
30 min run/walk
Do one step of the Express Cleaning Challenge +
1 load laundry: wash, dry, fold & put away
Mail gifts/clothes to niece & nephew in NC -- I got them souveniers from my vacation in August..yep it's October
Clean out nursery room (for daycare)

Sunday:
Do one step of the Express Cleaning Challenge +
Help sand drywall
30 min run/walk
Clip dogs' nails


I really am trying to take it easy this weekend. I've been having a stressful few weeks...and well this week hasn't been any exception. Next weekend we are *fingerscrossed* putting in our new windows...so that will be a very busy weekend.

My New Bedding...

We have been working on our master bedroom decor for a looooong time now. I feel like it has been foreva and one day.

The problem lies in the fact that my husband and I while full of ideas lack time, knowledge and some tiny little item called motivation. To put it simply, we're kinda lazy. Yea, I said it. Gotta own your issues, right?
Well, I guess one step at a time...and we're making progress! Right now my handsome-not-so-handy hubby is hard at work installing drywall in our sad basement. ALLLLrighty-then! I can see some mudding and taping in our foreseeable future...not by US of course. Our good friend Troy is going to help us with that step...cuz we've heard that can literally make or break your room.

Anyway...I have made a few more baby steps on the roads to finishing our bedroom. Namely, I have finally found bedding in the colors and style that I wanted. It has taken me forever and a few instances that I almost ordered a boat-load of fabric and tried to diy my own. Whew, crisis averted there...I don't think that would have ended well!

So here it is.  

The throw pillows...which my hubby finds ridiculous...but I find adorable.

I also added two new panels to the window draperies.

PS Please ignore the paint swatches on the wall, our window ac unit, and our dusty nightstands! I'll have to add dusting to my to-be-done list.

Next for this bedroom.
• Install new windows
• Update trim
• fix trim (where dogs decided it looked tasty)
• Mount tv onto wall
• reinstall doors to the closet
• Install ceiling fan.



Weekend Accomplishments...

So last Friday, I attempted to begin to hold myself accountable for my lack of motivation and participated in Molly's (My Happy House) and Gia's (A Life In Progress) Weekend Plannign Blog Hop.

Here is what I accomplished this weekend!
Friday: I had to work my normal 6:30am to 5:00pm:
Supervise delivery of our new WINDOWS!!!! -they are beeee-uuuutiful! I can't wait until we can install them!!!!!
Deep clean the bathroom
Wash towels
Mop kitchen & bath floors
Make Garlic Chicken and Vegetables for dinner --hubby made chicken curry and rice instead! YUMMY

Saturday: Hubby worked this weekend and I woke up with another bout of this cold I can't kick...oh joy, week 2 of it.
Order new rug for living room-- decided to wait until it went on sale again, plus hubby isn't 100% sold
Change sheets in Master bedroom
Deep clean kitchen
Michaels run for daycare supplies
Wal-mart run for daycare supplies (and a folding footstool!) --mish mashed enough other supplies together, I didn't need to go! yippee
Farmer's Market
2 loads of laundry --happened on Sunday...still kinda counts right?
Dinner: leftovers -- therefore clean out fridge --hubby's brother & sis-in-law were in town with our nephews so we ended up at the in laws for dinner...so fridge did not get cleaned out :( There's always Wednesday.  


Sunday:
Clean out Pantry
Install new organization systems for pantry (should be arriving on Saturday I'm soooo excited)
Replace pantry items in new organized pantry-- see the new Pantry Overhaul!
4 loads of laundry
Pre-plan Halloween curriculum for daycare
organize craft items & recycled items for crafts
organize daycare desk, clean, sort and trash
??Mow lawn -- this one totally depends on if it stops raining!
Dinner: Tuna Noodle Casserole

I am so proud of myself! Even with a cold, I still managed to accomplish most of my to-be-dones!
 

On the Road to Baby H, an intro...

On the Road to Baby H: A journal of our attempts to become parents, and our journey through infertility.


I am merging my two blogs. This one is my daily life and random home escapades. The second was my mostly private blog dedicated to our journey to become parents. I guess I've decided that since that journey is a significant part of our daily lives, it makes no sense to have a separate blog. So, I will be moving those posts over here over the next few days. The posts will be posted into their appropriate time frames of the timeline of this blog, if that makes sense. This was my introduction for that blog.

We are Jen & Aaron and we've been married since 2009. I work from home running my own daycare. Aaron works for the PA Air National Guard and is a federal employee during the week. We have two dogs and two cats and our lives are pretty busy between running my business, raising 4 pets and trying to turn our house into our home.
We've been trying to conceive since June 2009. It hasn't been successful so far and we're now at the point of talking to doctors to decide what our next steps might be. It's been emotionally draining and sometimes not pretty, but we both feel there are children meant to be in our lives and we're up to the challenge. We haven't decided what our final options might be...whether we are fully invested in ARTs, including IUI and/or IVF...but we are discussing and researching as much as we can.

Pantry Re-vamp...

Saturday morning was very exciting at our house! This GIANT box arrived with all my goodies from The Container Store!!

Even the doggies were excited.

 My loverly organizing items.

 A couple lazy susans, Elfa cabinet pull-out bins, a clear packet bin and two LARGE shelves

Two small mesh stacking shelves and a cabinet door wrap rack.

SUPER EXCITED!!!

My pantry started out like this:

 :( It made me so sad and scared whenever I tried to find anything.

 Everything was pretty much thrown in and un-findable.

 Scary! EEK!

 Door before:

After: Things are placed together by function, shape or size. Bottom shelf (from left)is for potatoes, onions and garlic, vitamins, boxes and packets of soup mix, granola bars and popcorn!

 Very top shelf houses two very large stacking shelves with roughly 16" of space under and between them. This allows me to prioritize items that I want to keep on hand, but rarely use.
(From Top) outdoor party supplies (placemats, napkins, paper plate carriers.
                  cookie cutters, box mixes for fancy biscuits and desserts, plastic forks & knives, extra wraps
                 

Next is room for my canning supplies on right, my breadmaker on left, giant bottles of Italian olive oil, spices & honey...and hubby's protein powder finally has a home. (It used to migrate from shelf to shelf!)

Drawers for my baking supplies (on left) and my less used appliances: Food processor & blender) Even though I rarely use these two, I still want ready access for when I do want to make a milkshake(YUM!!) or shred up some veggies or puree some baby food for the daycare baby-lets!

Over here are my bulk items: (see those spices again) things like flour, steel cut oats, couscous, cornstarch, 10x sugar, pasta, rice, etc.

 And my piece de resistance: The door rack for my wraps, foil & plastic bags! They like hanging out with my aprons! **The pink one has a picture of a corkscrew and says: "my favorite kitchen utensil"** These used to reside in a drawer, which is now freed up for more useful items.

 

It might not seem like too much change, and that's true...we have tooooo many things stuffed in this tiny space, but I can actually see, and/or touch everything. That in and of itself is MAJOR! 

Hubby's job tonight after work is to sort & purge some of his hot sauces that he never uses and I should really purge some of my entertaining items (or find a new hiding space) but I think I will wait until another day to do that!

Now, I must return to cleaning my kitchen and folding laundry! Hope your weekend is going well!

Weekend Planning...

I really feel behind. Really, really behind in just about everything :(

So, this week I want to plan and try to accomplish a bunch of items on my to do list. AND I'm going to hold myself accountable. How? By participating in the Weekend Planning Blog Hop.

 

Let's get to it!

 

Friday: Is a full working day for me...so alas not much can or will probably get done...but I'll try to:

• Supervise delivery of our new WINDOWS!!!!
• Deep clean the bathroom
• Wash towels
• Mop kitchen & bath floors
• Make Garlic Chicken and Vegetables for dinner

Saturday: Hubby is working this weekend, and I've got my car back so I'm planning on getting a lot of errands done!

• Order new rug for living room this one
• Change sheets in Master bedroom
• Deep clean kitchen
• Michaels run for daycare supplies
• Wal-mart run for daycare supplies (and a folding footstool!)
• Farmer's Market
• 2 loads of laundry
• Dinner: leftovers -- therefore clean out fridge

Sunday:

• Clean out Pantry
• Install new organization systems for pantry (should be arriving on Saturday I'm soooo excited)
• Replace pantry items in new organized pantry
• 4 loads of laundry
• Pre-plan Halloween curriculum for daycare
• organize craft items & recycled items for crafts
• organize daycare desk, clean, sort and trash
• ??Mow lawn -- this one totally depends on if it stops raining!
• Dinner: Tuna Noodle Casserole

 So, we'll see what get accomplished! It's a pretty ambitious weekend, me thinks.

Linking Up

Basement Progress: Purchases...

Drywall is hard. I mean, it's not that complicated, but it's deceptive. Hubby and I are stalled with putting up the drywall. I mean like 3 two-foot sections in a week. Yeah...we suck :(

I guess there is something to be said for taking it one task at a time doing it right. 

About 13 more sheets of drywall to get through!

Still have tons more to do, but after a not-so-nice argument, we'll be taking it one sheet of drywall day at a time.   

We have purchased new lighting for the office/den. LED recessed lighting. {as well as a third dehumidifier (seen 3 pics up)}

And flooring suitable to a slightly humid basement. TrafficMaster Allure Ultra in Vintage Oak Cinnamon. (I'll be letting you know if it truly is as easy to install as the directions indicate, and eventually, if it is 100% waterproof. They claim it is, so if it really is that would be AWEsome!

Hoping for a bit more progress in the next week. I'm missing my couch, it's a little annoying to only be able to watch tv from my bed.

Monthly Goals, October...

I've seen a few posts regarding monthly goals. Since, I have a problem setting and finishing my own goals, I thought perhaps I'd give it another go-round in the form of monthly goals.

Here we go:

1. Clean the dishes, sink and counters every night before bed for at least 4/7 nights per week.
2. Help to install replacement vinyl windows
3. Help to install, tape, mud, sand and paint new drywall in our basement living room
4. Help to install new vinyl flooring downstairs
5. Prepare and implement daycare curriculum 4/5 days per week.
6. Eat out less - cook at home more often. (6/7 nights) --we typically do this anyway, but since the flood, we've been VERY, VERY bad at keeping on track.
7. Find and interview an acupuncterist.
8. Read 1 book not related to fertility or trying to have babies.
9. Get ahead of laundry and maintain that level
10. Bathe & brush my pups at least once a piece.
11. Maintain my cleaning routine at least ONE FULL WEEK without fail! --this one will be H-A-R-D for me!!!
12. Finish sewing my spare room curtains. They are pinned and just waiting for a hem.
13. Bite the bullet & order new bed for Master bedroom.

Spare Room Reveal...

 December of 2008, our spare room looked like this.

I was just starting out with my home daycare, and this was to be our space. We were in this room for 8 months, but outgrew it quickly once I was state-registered and started caring for more than 3 kiddos. After we moved the daycare into the front room, (here & more recently here,) the room looked like this.

This room is the designated dumping ground for all things without a home. Since we rarely have overnight guests (if we do, it's usually my sister & her kiddos) I tend to "hide" things in here. Hoping that decorating and setting the room up as I want to use it would limit this behavior, I chose a color scheme that was to be bright and sunny. Colorful, yet relaxing. I created this design board

for reference and to help me make decisions regarding color palette and online purchases.

1. Duvet Cover & Shams from Target.com

2. Dusty Yellow B13-2 by Valspar from Lowe's-color match to Olympic No VOC paint.

3. Fabric from Fabric.com

(left: Silk Suiting, Herringbone Gabrielle Winter White and right: Waverly Small Talk Blackbird)

4. Pinella Bedroom Suite from Ashley Furniture Homestore (already owned, recycling from Master Bedroom)

5. Small silver & white drum shades, found at Marshall's

6. Black framed art, with black and white/sepia tone photos (these inspiration pieces were found at overstock, I think.)

7. 5x8 rug found at my local Target (couldn't find a link online) I bought two for $49.99 each)

2nd coat, I think, taken at night.

This is a full bed. We are planning to replace this with our queen, once we purchase a new bed for the master.

Draperies DIY'd

I really like how the sunlight comes in through the window here, if only I had the drawers in the dresser!

This photo DH inherited from his grandpa. It's taken near where he grew up.

$8 mirror, I spray painted glossy black. Originally from Marshall's

White & Black ruffled pillow (Marshall's)
Black square pillow (already owned)
Small Square pillow (DIY'd using an old pillow & Leftover drapery fabric.)

Dusty Yellow, color matched to Olympic No -VOC in Satin

This room is obviously a work in progress. Currently, it houses all of our odds and ends from our basement living room, as well as a few end tables and a twin bed.

There are a few things left to do.

1. Sew & install sheer curtains to create a bit more privacy
2. Install closet organization system
3. Find, buy & install ceiling fan
4. Touch-up & paint trim
5. Replace outlet & switch covers with white ones.