Day 165-166

Lenten Photo Journey:

Feb 21 - Love

Feb 22 - Spirit

Day 164: Results from 20 week Ultrasound

So we found out that we're on track to have an average-sized baby, which was music to my ears :) Hopefully that continues to be true.

We have to have a 28 week ultrasound to check for placental position, as it could be a little close to the cervix. But the midwife said it didn't look like anything to worry about.

Lenten photo journey:

Feb. 20th - evil

This isn't my picture/photo but I thought it was topic appropriate.

Day 163: The Who Concert

Had a great time with friends at The Who concert in Hamilton :) The baby loved the film clip of their (now deceased) bass player playing an amazing solo!

Baby's First Rock Concert:

Lenten Photo Journey:

Feb 19th - Wonder

Weekend Re-cap Day 159-162

I'll give our weekend recap and post my Lenten Photo Journey pictures below the corresponding day.

Friday February 15th - Missionaries in Europe

Andrew and I have been supporting a missionary couple in Europe for the last year or so. We went to hear the exciting update of their time there as well as the plans they have for the upcoming months and year. It was great to be able to reconnect!

Feb 15th - See

Saturday February 16th - A Friend's Baby Shower 

Had a great day in Toronto celebrating the upcoming arrival of a new baby girl to our friends from university.

This is a very hypocritical picture since I do occasionally shop here...

Feb 16th - Injustice

Sunday February 17th - Visit from my Sister and B-I-L

My sister and her husband came up to Waterloo Saturday night. We went to church in the morning and then I attended another baby shower for a friend from church to shower blessings upon their family before their baby boy arrives.

After lunch my sister decided she would rather help me organize my craft room than go cross-country skiing so we spent the afternoon tidying and going to Michael's to pick up some shelves and baskets to put things in. I will do another post on the before/after and all the details.

My brother and his girlfriend came over for BBQ dinner and games :)

Feb 17th - Settle

Monday February 18th - Family Day & Real Estate

My sister and I spent the morning finishing the craft room. Andrew and my B-I-L helped us move some furniture around and took out the garbage :) I am so excited with how it looks! Now that the double bed is in the craft room (out of what will be our nursery) we're one step closer to being ready for the baby.

We're in the market to buy a second house as a rental property and so we went out for the first time looking at houses. Nothing really promising at this point, but it was fun to get out and see what's there.

Feb 18th - World

Day 158: Lenten Photo Journey

I just saw this idea on Talk and Tea Leaves blog - a photo a day Lenten journey. I then looked into the original project she found from the United Methodist Church.

I love what they say about the 40 day challenge of photo taking:

"You don't have to be a great photographer. This project is hopefully more about the practice of paying attention and being intentional, than it is being the best photographer [though we encourage you to get creative!]."

Here is a link to what you should take a photo of each day (if you want to participate). I'll type the inspiring word or phrase under each of my photos but likely won't do a ton of explanation. I should have started yesterday so today will have two photos.

Feb 13th - Who am I?

Feb 14th - Return

I'll also try to keep up with posting other things on weekdays too, but this will likely become difficult with all the school work! Looking forward to a great 40 days!

Also, Happy Valentine's Day!

Day 157: Basket Success

A couple weeks ago I posted about my lack of success at finding a basket to organize our card games (see post here). Last weekend I was happy to find the PERFECT BASKET!

The basket fits all the card games we have (that aren't in large boxed game sets):

Dutch Blitz
Rook
Scrabble SLAM
Hearts & Spades
Five Crowns
Skip-Bo
Buzz Word Bits

As well as 11 decks of cards, our folding cribbage board, the extra wax bits for our Scentsy (safe wax melter - it doesn't get hot).

It's also a pretty good colour for our green dining room :)

Day 156: Bell Let's Talk Day Recap

See yesterday's post explaining Bell Let's Talk Day.

Canadians talked like never before on Bell Let's Talk Day.

96,266,266

tweets, Facebook shares, texts, 

& long distance calls meaning

$4,813,313.30

additional dollars Bell donated 

to mental health programs.

What an awesome fundraising job Canada! Addded to this, the awareness the campaign brought to mental illness/health and the benefits these programs will be able to afford to bring to people suffering from mental illness! What a great day :)

[post written after numbers came in]

Day 155: Let's Talk about Bell Let's Talk Day

Tomorrow is an important day. While a it's a fundraiser sponsored by Bell (and it is very nice of them) the fact that mental health awareness is being promoted on TV, radio, and the internet is really my main focus.

That being said it is a fundraiser and the funds will go to many important projects across Canada. Which I think is amazing. A lot of programs and charities have seen a decrease in funding from governments, corporations, other large organizations, and individuals throughout the hard economic times while the use of these programs increase (often because of these same difficulties).

Why mental health?

"Often invisible, mental illness is one of the most pervasive health issues in the country with far-reaching consequences for every Canadian. One in five people will experience a form of mental illness at some point and most will be reluctant to talk to a co-worker, friend or family member about their struggle, let alone seek treatment. While you may never experience mental illness first-hand, it is likely that you know someone who will."

So tomorrow Bell will donate 5 cents to mental health initiatives across Canada for every:

• 1
  Text message sent (using Bell or Bell Aliant)
• 2
  Long distance call made (using Bell or Bell Aliant)
• 3
  Tweet using #BellLetsTalk
• 4
  Facebook share of our Bell Let's Talk image
  (link here)

For more information go to http://letstalk.bell.ca/en/

Weekend Re-cap Day 153/154

Saturday February 9th - Iron Ring Ceremony

My parents and sister came up for the day. My dad was able to attend my brother's Iron Ring Ceremony (http://www.ironring.ca/) which is a ceremony for engineers. Right before they graduate they have to (or get to) take a pledge of integrity to their profession. I think they then have the option of taking a test and paying fees to become a "Professional Engineer". Some jobs would require this more than others - if you're in charge of building a bridge versus writing some computer code to have a bird attack a pig.

The three of us girls did a bit of shopping while this went on and Andrew went cross-country skiing with Banner.

Sunday February 10th - Baby Shower in Barrie

Sunday was a very busy day. We had a shortened church service from 9:30-10:15am and then our Annual Meeting where we go over finances and visioning for the upcoming year from 10:15-11:15am.

I left around 11am to drive to pick up my one sister-in-law and my niece on the way to Barrie for a shower for our other sister-in-law. Thankfully it was a great day for driving - sunny, dry, and not windy and not a lot of traffic.

I really enjoyed the car ride in which I was able to spend time in good conversation with my S-I-L, more than two hours total. Perhaps she was ready to not be in the car with me though, I can talk A LOT, or maybe not :P.

The shower was really nice. Great food, music, and time with everyone. I enjoyed both the games we played. (I think I had a slight advantage in listing out everything she would need for the first year of the baby's life as I've been planning for this myself!) Congratulations to you both, looking forward to meeting my nephew!!

Day 152: Enjoying Banner

I love the snow, but not nearly as much as Banner does! We went for a walk in our local conservation area today which was more plowed than our subdivision. So we could actually walk while still having a ton of snow to play in :)

I wish I had remembered the good camera though...

Day 151: Weirdness

Two of the same Dr. Seuss quotes on Facebook in one night, with different pictures:

~6pm Feb 6th

~9pm Feb 6th

I think I should be cluing in that there is a lesson in here for me... and just in time for Valentine's Day. Maybe I should write Andrew a list of our mutual/compatible weirdness.

Day 150: 20 Week Ultrasound

So we had our 20 week ultrasound this morning and decided to be TEAM GREEN (as the online chatroom moms call it). We didn't find out the sex of the baby.

Unfortunately our baby somewhat resembles this:

Here's Baby Grieve:

That's the front-view of the face, the right hand is up by the ear and the left hand is just above the shoulder.

That's a side-view of the head (you can kind of make out a nose, lips and chin). Good big baby belly I think though.

Day 149: Relaxation Techniques

Does anyone have any techniques they can share for relaxation?

This week has started out, not as stressful so much as just not at all relaxing... and I think it will continue this way. I'm going to pull out all my relaxation stops and hope that my mind and body cooperate!

Breathing - just do it! Stop holding your breath! Take a few big, deep breaths with your eyes closed at least once an hour.

Body Relaxation - think about every muscle group on your body and relax as you come to it, start with your toes, then your feet, ankles, and move up. If this truly works you can fall asleep, so don't do it when you need to be awake. Best done lying down (at least for me).

Bath Time - run a hot bath (apparently pregnant women can't have it quite as hot...) and use scented epsom salts (or a bath bomb) for scent and muscle relaxation. I've been using citrusy-smelling salts which are more of a pick me up. For more relaxation I might switch to lavender.

Aromatherapy - I have never tried this! And I think I really should. Anyone use aromatherapy? Suggestions?

Any other relaxation suggestions?? Let's help each other :)

Day 148: Lunch and Suits

I got to have lunch with Andrew at work today, which is a nice treat. Since the office moved from Waterloo to Kitchener I have not been for lunch nearly as often. Today I had vegetarian fare, quinoa/carrot/celery shepherd's pie (so with potatoes on top) as well as purple potatoes and broccoli, shredded carrot salad, and fruit mix (lychee, mandarin oranges and pomegranate). It was all yummy!

I also got to talk with one of our friend's whose baby is fast becoming a little girl, about the upcoming months!

Today I also went suit shopping with my brother. Man are suits expensive! They had a buy one get one free deal, and since he's graduating it did make sense to use the deal. Just meant it was an expensive Monday for him! But he'll look great :)

Weekend Re-cap Day 145/146/147

Friday February 1st - Researched the History of Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is the day that the groundhog comes out of his hole after a long winter sleep to look for his shadow. If he sees it (it's a sunny day), he regards it as an omen of six more weeks of bad weather and returns to his hole. If the day is cloudy and, hence, shadowless, he takes it as a sign of spring and stays above ground. Most of us knew that part...

Apparently this stems from Candlemas Day, when candles were blessed and then given to the people. If Candlemas Day was good weather (fair and bright) winter would be longer. If it was cloudy and rainy, winter would end early.

In Canada we also associate Groundhog Day with THE groundhog: Wiarton Willie. I've always thought it strange that they get new groundhogs when necessary and just keep naming them Willie.

Us with the statue of Wiarton Willie in summer 2011.

Saturday February 2nd - Groundhog Day

Yay! Not a LONG winter predicted by Willie!!! Early Spring!!! We'll see if that comes true. Somehow they find albino groundhogs in Wiarton (I like him!):

Willie Feb 2, 2013.

Sunday February 3rd - A Typical Sunday

Andrew and I taught Sunday School, which was a lot of fun! We have a great bunch of Gr 3-5 kids (a small class this week with only 7). We talked about how God loves everyone (the mean ones and the nice ones, people of every shape, colour, size) and how there is nothing you can do to stop him from loving you! An especially feel good topic :)

We also chose ETFs for Andrew's TFSAs. Yep, that's a lot of letters! Basically we did financial planning, which is a lot of work but hopefully worth it in the end :P

Frisbee! This is still happening in the winter (and while pregnant)! We play indoors for 50 minutes where substitute players on-the-fly. So more like hockey. We actually won our first game of the season!