Our Ovulation Tracker

 Trying to Conceive Ticker

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Baby sitting!!

So.. Let me start by explaining.. HOW we ended up babysitting.. 
Shannon came down to help me pick out my wedding gown and also to try on some bridesmaids gowns.. we originally thought Chassidy (who is 3 and the flower girl in my wedding) was going to be with her daddy but that did not work out so she had to come along on the dress excursion.. which was no the less interesting.. The problem with dress shoppping with a 3 yr old is they just want to RUN everywhere and TOUCH everything which is not the best idea in bridal shops! 
But after the shopping it came time for Shannon to go home and Chassidy did not want to leave!! It was soo heartbreaking and pitiful that I asked Shannon if she would allow her to stay a few extra days especially since i don't get to see her that often anyway... She agreed and the baby sitting began! Starting with bath time.. So I'm a little inexperienced to say the least wit
h bath time.. especially now that Chass has gotten so much larger and capable i sometimes don't know what she can and can not do.. So as I was attempting to wash her hair (Which she hates) I tried to use clean water from the spicket not bubbly water from the bath but i forgot to check the temp of the water.. and it turned out that it was FREEZING and i didn't know until chassidy let out a loud cry.. and then as i continued to finish the hair washing we went from freezing to burning hot and back again and by the time i
 was finished she was done with the bath entirely!! Another lesson learned is anything and everything is entertaining for a child just be creative.. I gave her some stamps that i don't use a lot and some ink and she was very happy making "presents" for everyone.. And she really enjoyed gluing ribbon, and puff balls to paper.. she didn't like the crayons though.. guess they were too boring :) She also really likes my dog and cat toys.. 
Day 2 started very smooth we ate cereal and walked the doggies together and watched some tv..before we had to go on our 2nd dress shopping day since it was planned before i spontaneously decided to babysit I decided to continue with the plan.. but what i learned from day prior bring toys.. more toys and bribes! Chass loves candy.. not my choice for her but its her fav. so we use it to our advantage! Sit down and you can have 1 piece.. the works very well
 until she learned where the candy was and could go get it herself!! The other thing i learned is that you have to make your plans around the baby, their attention span and their need to release energy( mostly from all the bribes) so we would have to stop at one stop for us (dress store) one stop for her (chick fillet play ground or the park) this helped the day go by much smoother and joyful although we did still experience a few meltdowns!! 
 But i will say by the time zach got home i was soo ready for him to take over so i could have some big girl time!! I had to leave the house! I am not cut out for the stay home mom biz! But i will say after only 2 hours when i came back he was pooped! She is quite the energy bug.. I love having her visit but when I get to give her back to her mommy I will be glad to have my quiet house back!! 

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Stuff comes in stuff must go out!

One thing I try to live by is DE CLUTTER! I have always been sorta a pack rat... I love things.. all kinds of things..collecting things.. new things.. antiques.. which makes for a bad problem when it comes down to a small one bedroom apartment!! So as new things come in I always try to get some old and un used things out. So with the holidays coming to a close...and alot of new things that came in so alot of OLD things must go out! So I spend yesterday evening cleaning out the clutter and I just don't know HOW in the WORLD we obtain so much stuff!! I went through and cleane the closets out of the stuff we don't use and used a site called wilmingtonyardsales.com to post all the decent items that someone else might want and it just so amazing to watch your trash become other peoples treasures! Works for me I declutter and make some extra spending cash in the process!!

Friday, December 26, 2008

Christmas Fun!!


Christmas this year was a muc
h needed improvement from last year.... Last y
ear Zach and I had a nice few days planned were we would go see him family on Christmas eve, take my mom to meet his family and announce our engagment.. We were so excited with our news that we had no doubts that everyone else would be just as excited as we were.. but we were meet with very different reactions.. But.. after the shock wore off and everyone grew to the idea and all is good.. but not only did our "announcement" not go as planned neither did our trip back to our apt! We had planned to travel back to Wilmington that evening so we could spend our Christmas day at our apt with my mom and grandmother but just as we headed out of the county my car brok
e down and we ended up on couches and chairs back at his parents home and begging for a ride back to Wilmington!! Despite this fiasco a Christmas I won't forget but not excactly how I imaged our "first" christmas togethor.. This year was a BIG improvement!!

Zach's Sister stopped by about a week before Christmas on the way to her inlaws and we got to spend an hour with her and her husband, and the baby Which we enjoyed since it is most likely the last time we will see her until May.. And considering this we had our families come to our apartment for Christmas.. which is quite odd considering we live in a small 1 bedroom apartment and both our families have larger homes.. but I had my apartment decorated so homely I was very impressed with the turn out.. Zach's mom, dad, and little sister got to come and experience my crazy grandma and some of my ( and my moms) cooking! It was definatly all I had hoped for.. lots of good food, good fun, and laughs.. with some tears... but good tears!This year knowing we were a little strapped for cash and lots of memories happening all around us with the new baby and two upcoming weddings I decided to make most of our Christmas gifts with one of my favorite crafts going to Zach's mom which was home made coaster made from pictures.. I had taken about 12 of the best pictures of the family as it grows and turned them into coasters.. which brung about a few tears.. that I have been told are good :) So I was very excited that my hard work and fun turned into something that She will be able to enjoy!
The one thing that I learned from this Christmas as everyone opened their gifts this year I noticed the most smiles and laughs from the gifts that I homemade versus the gifts that we had brought.. Despite the fact that many of the gifts we purchased were nice.. I think the thought that went into the gifts was what made the most out of this Christmas! I do believe that I will be home making my gifts in the future.. it is the best post exam stress relief!! (although this time next year I will be working full time)
I hope that everyone else had as wonderful of a Holiday as I did!! As each day goes by I look more and more foreward to the large family and I becoming apart of! I can't wait to see what lies ahead...


Wednesday, December 24, 2008

White Christmas??

All I ever wanted for Christmas was a white christmas.... And I had all hopes that this year might be the year.. we had a blistery cold 1st day of winter.. and now we are back to BEACH Weather.. With a high today of 74!! How in the world do you get into the wintery wonderland of Christmas spirit when you feel like you could be in a bikini at the beach!! I have my windows all covered with faux snow... white garland on the tree to look like snow.. snowy scenes set up in my apartment all in hopes that one day I may see that unfamiliar white stuff!! Hello Mother nature its December!!! 
Thank you Global Warming :(

Sunday, December 21, 2008

The Dress Shopping

Was.. Disappointing.. So I am still in search of "The Dress" that doesn't exist! We drove all the way to Burlington to the bridal mart where they have lots of dresses for very good prices I tried on sooo many with no satisfying results.. So we Leave and go to Raliegh.. and I find this dress that I think is great.. But not for sure.. So we go to the next shop and try on another great dress so Now I have 2 great dresses and I need just ONE "the Dress" So I have decided to have a vote.. On the favorite dress... If you are intersted in participating and helping me make this important decision please email me so I can send the link to the pic. Since Zach can't see I can't make it public.. :(

Saturday, December 13, 2008

6 months Until the Wedding

Today is officially 6 months count down which also means it is Zach and I's Engagement anniversary.. 1 year today :)

So now I feel like a TOTAL slacker because I have NOTHING planned for my wedding which is becomeing a very overwelming feeling.. and a almost hopeless task.. The more I ponder what else needs to be done I don't even know where to start.. Yesterday I took one of my bridesmaids to a new bridal shop in town and found the perfect shop to buy the dress.. but no where near deciding one a bridesmaids gown becasue I Don't even have my gown yet!! So thats a bummer.. Then theres the cake and since I live in a different town then my wedding is going to be in.. I can't find a baker! No one in the town we are getting married in has a website and the more I ask the more it seems there is no baker there!! Although, i know that just can't be! The only thing that I sorta know is the reception site and flowers... Seems that I still have no word back on the ceremony site, no sure word about a preacher, no baker, no dresses, no grooms attire, no engagement annoucements, no invitations, and my flowers are still very up in the air since I picked them out for an August wedding and I now have a June wedding.. I just feel so lost and confused.. I don't know that the wedding will ever come togethor..

Should have hired that wedding planner...

Sunday, November 30, 2008

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

With Thanksgiving over everything is in full blown Christmas mode.. and so I have begun my Christmas prep as well... One of my favorite Christmas Traditions is cards.. I am so excited to have wonderful puppies to send out on our personalized cards!! But at work on "black friday" while everyone else was shopping i was stuck writing the same message on as many cards as I could in the 8 hour time block.. it made the card giving thing much less exciting!!  So after having a quite boring day at work on Friday I decided I would go see some of the day after the day after sales and check out the craft stores.. and I got some really good ideas for Christmas crafts and began making them! It was soo much fun that I will probably be doing it all season long!! So much for studying for those exams..

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Starting new traditions..

Thanksgiving has been quite the adjustment since Zach and I have been together.. We both want to spend the day with our families but there is only so much time in the day and food you can eat.. I am learning to adjust to the larger family that I am becoming apart of I do believe that I truly enjoy the larger family dinners.. there's much more to talk about about, more people to see and of course more food!! Although, Thanksgiving seems to be all about the food nowadays I try and remember the meaning of the holiday and know that is about be thankful and I AM thankful for my new family and my "old" family!! Today was a little difficult as it is my first thanksgiving without my grandmother and the shortest time I have spent with my mom on the holiday and though tears were felt I also was greeted by lots of smiles and hugs which made the day wonderful!! Being about to spend the day with Zach's family gives me much hope for our future and I know that I am going to love being apart of this family! I look forward to the many more holidays with them.. 

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Ahh.. Relief


The Day we had long anticipated finally came..
We got to meet our neice!!! She lives in S. Africa where her parents are missionaries and we finally had a chance to meet her this weekend! It was soo much fun! She was such a happy baby.. Watching Zach with the baby made me smile from ear to ear!! It was wonderful!
He is going to be a great dad... SOMEDAY!!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

The End is Near

As the semester comes to a close and the holidays near you feel the intense feelings accomplishment and stress.. The horrible timing of the two together that has always boggled me.. You have term papers and exams and projects all coming due but the need to visit with families pulling at you from all angles making time your worst enemy and sleep nearly impossible.  As I finish the semester I know that I am closer and closer graduation but the large amounts of work and planning and progress that has to be done prior to that date makes me queasy!  I can't believe that in 6 months I will be Amanda Hamilton Saulter, BA in Theatre and Psychology!!! That is just insane! 

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

ABCT (Continued)

so.. This is a little late but to finish the trip's story... 

On Saturday.. we had the best intentions to get up and attend some symposiums before lunch but our bodies had other plans and we slept in till almost 10 am!! So once we got up we just decided to go grab brunch before heading to our afternoon events. We went to this place called spoodles on the Disney boardwalk.. OMG IT WAS AMAZING! The had an all you can eat entree with french toast, scrambled eggs, potatoes, sausage and bacon! Best breakfast EVER! After brunch we went back to the Dolphin where the conference was held and I attended a poster session very briefly then to my workshop on CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) for Adults with ADHD... Which was interesting.. 1) the therapy that I am in right now is very cognitive based so learning how to perform therapy in adults with adhd is very similar to the ways you do cognitive therapy in depression clients.. 2) Almost everyone in the workshop already has their PhD in Psychology and is a practicing therapist.. Since I am still in undergrad I was not able to relate to many of the issue brought up.. although I understood the material I was not able to apply any of it but still enjoyed learning it!! After the long training I attend one more poster session before heading off to the Most magical place in Orlando.. DISNEY Of course!! We went to the magic kingdom  
This was tons of fun.. We rode most of the rides.. and I just felt like such a kid again!! Gosh it was the most fun! We stayed there until the park closed and just enjoyed being a kid.. Then we went back to the hotel and we so incredible exhausted that we took an HOUR nap before our van picked us up at 2:30 am to take us back to the airport. When we arrived at the airport NOTHING WAS OPEN!! The shuttle told us they had to pick us up at that time to ensure we would catch our flight.. So we get there about 3:15 and have to wait around until 5:20 when our flight leaves.. unable to check in.. unable to check baggage.. and the only thing open is LUCKILY starbucks!! So we get coffee and hang out.. Then it comes about 4:15 and we can go check our luggage and there is this huge line that we get in because we think they are waiting for a person but then we see the kiosk check in so I go and check us in using the kiosk that was working the whole time and some lady comes up and goes "we are all in the line waiting to do that exact same thing" in a snotty voice.. and I just stayed quiet and proceeded to check in I was already annoyed with no sleep.. ThEn we get in line for security check and the person there was like "GET BEHIND THE LINE" and I was just jeeze.. Then we get to security check and everything goes through fine except my purse and i ask "Is there something wrong" they lady says "We'll see" so I waited and she yells "NO liquids beyond this point" and throws away a bottle of water from my purse that I wasn't even aware was in there and I apologized but was thinking you don't have to be so rude!! By this point I was just ready to get to North Carolina where people have Southern Hospitality and Sweet Tea!!!! I sleep the whole ride to Charlotte when we get on the plane to Wilmington There are only 10 people riding!! So we sprawled out in the seats and enjoyed the ride.  Upon arriving at ILM the flight attendant says "Welcome to Wilmington Home of the Seahawks" and that just made my day! I cheered and got off WAY excited to see Zach and my puppiess that I could barely wait for Crystal to use the bathroom!!! I ran through the airport straight to Zach's arms!!! I was soo happy to see him!!! Vacation is always fun but coming home is even better!!!!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

ABCT Conference

So Thursday afternoon we( Myself and my Lab partner Crystal) flew out of the Wilmington Airport heading to Charlotte.. What a bumpy ride!! We Get to charlotte 40 Minutes late and have 20 minutes to get all the way across the airport to our next flight!!! We made it just in time for another bumpy ride to Orlando, Florida.  By the time we got to Florida we were starved and exhausted so we got food in the airport.. rested for a few before figuring out how we were going to get to our hotel... As we wander through this HUGE airport we find some person who just happen to be going to the same place!! He told us about this shuttle that will take us to the hotel and pick us up for only $32 then we get a discount for being apart of the conference so it was only $28.. this may seem extreme except that a taxi would have cost us $70 one way!!! We ride the shuttle and make it to the hotel just in time to miss registration for the conference so instead we decide to wander around and figure out what this hotel is all about... This place is HUGE! We stayed at the Swan but it is right next to the Dolphin which is where the conference was.. Between the 2 hotels there was 5 restaurants, 4 stores, 1 spa, 1 pool, 1 beach, 3 tennis courts, 2 volleyball courts, and 4 water fountains!! It was crazy nice!! After the expedition around the place we decided to go back to the room and sleep! What we discovered in the room was flat screen tv, Bath and Body works lotions, soaps, ect, starbucks coffee, and 2 bottles of water!! Way cool... except the price! 
Friday.. We have a wakeup call for 6 am.. I slept through it! But lucky Crystal did not and she woke me up by 6:30 to get ready for the BIG PRESENTATION which begins at 8:30.  We have some breakfast and study our posters before heading into the conference hall.  After registering we meeting with our professor who helps us hang the poster and IT BEGINS! we have to stand there in a big adult science fair and give out handouts of the information on the poster and answer any questions people have about the research.. Luckily for me I did not get any difficult questions! It was great! Then it was over  almost as soon as it began.. And we were free to do whatever for the rest of the day!!! We went to a few symposiums where we have people talk about their different kinds of research.. I went and saw Russell Barkley talk!! Which was great he is the guy who developed the theory that all my research is based on!! So that was awesome.. then I went to a few more before heading back to the hotel to rest.. We then decided to go to Downtown Disney for dinner... OMG Downtown disney was unbelievable.. There were statues out of LEGOS, HUGE Rain-forest places that you could EAT at, T-Rex dinosaurs the size of my apartment complex!! INSANE! WE decided to eat at Planet Hollywood which was huge! 4 stories! There was huge statues of creatures from movies and clothing and other articles from the various movies!! I tried to take a picture next to the Nightmare before Christmas exhibit but it was too big and on the stairs so people kept being annoyed.. But the food was Awesome.. the music was so loud it was like being in a nightclub.. After dinner we walked back to the free shuttle and explored the different Disney Stores.. They have disney EVERYTHING!!! It was cool!! After that we took the shuttle and just went to sleep! and Now.. I'm about to get ready for Saturday!! We have a fun filled day planned and more on that TOMORROW!!! 

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Wedding~

Isn't it amazing how things just come to you all the sudden and solve the many problems at once. I was driving down the road yesterday when WHAM! It hit me in the head.. I wanted the date of Zach and I's wedding to have significance plus work the dates around his sisters plans too.. and BOOM there is was have the wedding on June 13th!! 2 weeks after his sisters wedding which allows for his other sister to be there AND~ It's exactly 1 year and six months after we got engaged!!! So it's SpECIAl!!!!  I think that its just so amazing!!! So now I have a wedding again! I just hope that I can figure out new flowers... I don't think the ones I picked out are going to be available in June... And the dress.. Thats a tough one.. I have started getting people to vote on their favorites but I just don't think i've found "THE Dress" So I hope to go shopping in Burlington over Winter Break.  Gosh and other than that I have no idea what else I need to do!! I know there's tons.. I have the books to prepare me but very little time to figure things out!  

Sunday, November 9, 2008

A Day of Rest

As I ponder and ponder how I am going to ever complete my always growing TO DO list I just want to pass through the next few months and jump to May when I can graduate and begin life as a adult and not a student. I am so tired of the never ending TO DO lists and the 15 hour days and constant unfinished unaccomplished feelings. I leave to present my research on Thursday! I am very nervous! I haven't flown in..4 years and then I was terrified and thus I am still terrified!! I don't think I have the answers to all the questions that I will be asked and still have much knowledge to gain on the topic and no time to gain it!! I can't wait until my presentation is over so I can go and see what everyone else is presenting and just visit being in a new place!! It's going to be a long weekend with strangers!! I think this is the longest I will have gone without seeing Zach and my "kids" I hope they can make it without me.. :( Well I should get back to work and knock more items of the TO DO List!

Saturday, November 8, 2008

A New Day

Today I decided to create this blog so that my family and I are able to keep up with those that we love who are farther away then we would like them to be.  After keeping up with my future sister-in-law's blog for several weeks now I think it's a wonderful idea.  Even though we are much closer to our loved ones than she.. the internet provides such wonderful conveniences for keeping up with friends!! So this won't be the most interesting blog for a reader but will be interesting for me to see how well I can keep it up!!! 

Need a Child Care Provider?

Wilmington Babysitters >