Pickles

This afternoon, as I was eating my grilled turkey burger with cheese, I had an awesome idea! How great would my awesome sandwich be with a side of pickle! I great ball park drip down your hand pickle? You know ... the giant ones they sell at the movie theater, that no one ever really buys. (Well, I bought one once.)

What can I say? I love pickles. It's no sign of anything ... I just like pickles.

Well, I ate my sandwich and forgot about it. About an hour ago, the overpowering urge to eat a ball park pickle returned! I swaggered into the computer room, gave Joe my most dazzling smile, and requested such a dessert. He laughed at the random request, finished his video, found a Vlasic coupon and now is headed to walmart to get my treat! What a great husband I have!!

... and what a great snack I'll have in a bit. mmmmm.

Jump Start

If you read any article or comment about PCOS (Poly-cystic Ovarian Syndrome ... that's what I have that makes it so difficult to make babies!) most will say "a key to help you get pregnant is to lose weight". It's true. Infact, all three times I've been pregnant, it has come at the end of a 10 to 15 lb weight loss. Well I'm desperate to have a 2011 baby ... and I realize that I need to do something to lose weight so I can acheive that goal. I do realize that my time is limited for this to happen, but I'm still hopeful!

I went back to see my good friend, Dr. Merrill, and he put me on a nice med routine that will help get the ball rolling. I have never been one to turn straight to medicine though. Don't get me wrong ... it's great! But if I can help on my own too, then the meds won't have to work quite as hard, and I, for some reason, don't feel quite as dependent on them. They are my aide and not my crutch. Anyway, I digress.

This week I joined Weight Watchers (AGAIN) with Cortney, my next door neighbor. They have a new points plus program that I have enjoyed working with. There are a few things that I'm frustrated about ... but all in all, it's been going great. I'm more consious of what I'm putting in my mouth and what activities I'm participating in. I weigh in this week and am hopeful for a decent number.

**EDIT**

I did awesome this week! I was down 4.2 ... putting my at 182.2! My goal this week is to burn 2.4 and finally put me in the 170s. I haven't been in the 170s since I was pregnant right after Jace! WAHOO!!

A Bug...

is lurking about the boucher house. You may want to stay away!

On Sunday, Jace woke up at 5:30 in the morning throwing up. He threw up every half hour for quite some time. We were afraid that perhaps he had swallowed something, because he had just gotten over the "BUG" from the previous week! After a morning visit to the instacare, we learned that it's just a virus and needed to run it's course.

Later that day he was acting better. But he threw up again yesterday! Otherwise, he has seemed fine!

Today he has developed a cough ... and has thrown up 3 more times, two times being in the last hour! We are doing our best to keep him hydrated, and I will be running to the store first thing in the am to get more pedialyte.

Poor little critter!

Oh yeah ... and now Joe has it to! I'm dreading my turn!!!

February Goals

I think that I did an awesome job of making goals for the Month of January. Some were pretty simple, and others took a lot of effort. While I didn't complete every goal that I made, a lot got done that wouldn't have, had I not written the goals in the first place. I started to think about different goals that I want to make a while ago, and after much consideration .... here is my list for February:

1) Surprise Joe

2) Take dinner to someone

3) Wear makeup for no reason

4) Blog about something ordinary

5) Get a Will

6) Run 30 miles

7) Arrange a play date for Jace and do it at least 2 times

8) Research proper comma and semi-colon use

9) Scrapbook Jace's 2nd and 3rd month pictures

10) Tear down walls and ceiling in Master Bath

11) Read a non-fiction book

12) Register for a 5K

13) Make and Send Valentines day cards

14) Complete CH 1 in my calculus book

15) Get a new look

January Goals

Setting my January goals this year was exciting and fun. I tried very hard to make them challenging yet do-able. I know the importance of setting realistic goals that can be crossed off at the end of the month. While I wasn't able to complete all of my goals, I made great strides and at least partially completed most of them. Here's the tally:

Fully Completed: 8 out of 15 (not bad!)

Partially Completed: 2 out of 15

Did Not Complete: 5 out of 15.

So here are the ones I completed in January:

• Buy food for the person behind me (subway)
• Go to Dr. for infertility (I'm going clomid!)
• Gut Master Bathroom (all out besides tub)
• Sift through Jace's Toys (check!)
• Scrapbook Jace's 1 month (and almost 2nd month) in pics
• Clean and Vacuum both cars (didn't vacuum echo. Close enough)
• Try a food I didn't think I'd like (Chicken enchiladas w/ cottage cheese)
• Finish Spiral Quilt

I have completed my list for February, and I'm excited to get working on it. As for my Jan. list ... I'll keep it around and try to fill them in when I can!

The Person Behind Me .... Check!

Yesterday I was determined to knock off a few more of my January To Do list items. I was about to head out for my weekly tutoring at the library, and asked Joe if he wanted a subway. This was it! My chance to help someone out!!

I wrote a sly note that I could hand the cashier just in case there was a long line at the shop and I wouldn't have to obviously pay for the person behind me.

As luck would have it ... the store was empty! I quickly told the attendant my plan. I told her I wanted a $20 subway card to be used on the person behind me. And if there was anything else, use it on the person behind him until it was gone.

She looked at me like I was nuts!

I am, but not because of this.

She made up my sandwiches and as I go to pay, a man walks in the door. I was so excited that I got to pay for a stranger's lunch! PLUS, he only ordered a six inch, so I helped out someone behind him too.

I don't know how these people took their good news and favor, but hopefully it made their day just a bit brighter. I came home grinning from ear to ear. SO much fun!!!

I Pretend to be Brave ...

It should probably make it a rule of thumb not to blog after 1:oo in the morning. It should also be a rule not to blog when you haven't seen your spouse for 48 hours .... regardless, I think I'm going to blog right now. Perhaps I should read it in the morning after I get my sleep to make sure it's not all pure emotion running through my fingertips.

I have been pretty candid these last couple of weeks of our family's struggle for parenthood. I am trying so hard to be brave and hopeful that this process will work for us again, but the fact is .... I'm scared. I have this burning desire inside to be a mom again; I am so afraid that it will be another big trial for us. I'm scared that it will take months and months of trying before we get pregnant again. AND after that happens -- then what? Getting pregnant isn't my only challenge when it comes to having children.

I've been pregnant 3 times. I'm scared that we will miscarry again. If we miscarry ... I have to have surgery, then that's several more months of waiting, hoping, and heartache.

I know that our Heavenly Father has a plan for us. I know that he is guiding us in our life ... which helps ease my nerves - But only a little. I wish it were a bit easier .... and am hoping for the best. We'll keep everyone posted. We could use the prayers!

Goal #6: Spiral Quilt

Joe is out of town this week, so besides playing with Jace, all I want to do is stuff for me! Sounds a bit selfish, but I see it as an awesome way to tackle some of the things on my January Check List.

Last night, I figured that I'd stay up and finish the quilt. I tend to sleep in until Jace wakes up anyway, and when I go to sleep at 10, that can turn into many hours of sleep that I don't need.

Jace has been waking up at 9 lately. SO I decided if I go to bed at 12 or later and wake up at 9, I still get my 8 to 9 hours of sleep!

I put on Harry Potter 6 and got to work. I was a little

disappointed on how my corners matched up .... but I'll get over it. I must have had a slightly smaller seam than .25 inches .... because the borders, which were calculated correctly, should have matched up perfectly. This is th first time I've done the "piano key" border though. I'll try it again on a different quilt.

All in all, I'm SUPER pleased with how it turned out! I think my goal for February or March will be to quilt and bind it. I need to buy material for the back now. I'm thinking ..... Pink :) I hope I'll get to use this little quilt soon! (fingers crossed ... see goal #1!)

GOAL #11 .... CHECK!

Goal #11was to go through Jace's toys, throw out the junk, "box" the baby, and organize the now. With such a generous santa and others this year spoiling my kid senseless ... this was a MUST DO for my January 'to do' list. I decided that today was the day!

I started by getting all of the little toys out of my bedroom and bringing them into Jace's room to be sorted. You can see his toys are really messy, and he doesn't have a ton, but I was excited to

feel like I was simplifying my life by removing some of the unused. I organized his closet, took toys and hid them under the stairs (and prayed that the spiders and bugs wouldn't get them!!).

I put new toys in his newly emptied closet and refilled his drawers in his book shelf.

Then we went downstairs (didn't get a before pic). Emptied his toy bin and sifted through those toys. VOILA!

Goal #1 ... CHECK.

It's no secret .... making babies isn't like ordering pizza for the Joe and Jen Boucher family. There is a long history of infertility in my family ... and I am no exception.

Here is the basic problem. I have a high level of insulin in my body. Because the cells of my body aren't accepting the insulin, my body is making a lot of it ... which causes the FSH and LH hormones (the reproductive ones) to get confused and not produce like they should. I, therefore, need to take a medication so that my body will lower it's insulin levels and my reproductive hormones can start kicking it into gear! I have to take Clomid to help the FSH mature my little baby eggs faster and Progesterone to make my cycle start over when this month's "go at it" was unsuccessful. This is what we get to go through to have babies. It's not a major pain, and I know others go through a lot worse, but it does get quite painful when others seem to have it "so easy".

I have waited patiently for several months, and finally I had an appointment TODAY! My fabulous Doc gave me the prescriptions I need and a game plan to follow. I am excited to get this going and hopeful for fast results ...