So I am seeing the Dr weekly from now on. Ultrasounds and non-stress tests every week. My diabetes isn't being controlled well so I'm pretty sure she's going to up my dosage of meds and then keep an eye on Ellie's development through weekly monitoring. I have just over 6 weeks left before meeting our little girl!!! My mom is coming with me to an appt tomorrow and she's really excited to get to see Ellie on the ultrasound. My parents are just amazed at the technology they have.
My baby shower is coming up pretty soon. I'm so excited about it (even though I can't eat the pizza or the cake!!). I'll get to see alot of people I haven't seen in a bit (at least since I quite Walmart).
Speaking of, I am in love with my job. There is ZERO stress, only 2 other people around, the customers are a completely different caliber, and it's FUN!! I get to play and design pretty things all day. I am still in a little bit of a daze, I can't believe I got my dream job. Seriously good times.

latest baby belly

This was taken July 30, 2011. One day after being happily married for 5 years to Joseph Hill :):):) I was 30 weeks.

It's sideways- but this is my first ever Solo funeral arrangement

team sass

First off, I'd like to say I'm watching my friend Greg's girlfriend on Minute to Win It with her brother. Pretty cool.

Second,

I LOVE MY JOB!!!!!!!

Third,

One of these days, BEFORE I deliver a baby girl, I will post some pics on here so whoever cares can see my baby belly. For now, I'm trying not to let that belly get TOO big. Ellie is in the 65th percentile weighing in at 3lb 10 oz, a little too big for being 31 weeks. The doctor put me on a pill today that should (with my continuing diet) keep my blood sugars as low as they need to be for her to remain healthy.

Ok, back to Minute To Win It to cheer on Andi and her bro!!

Current Life Changing Events!

So I quit my job at Walmart yesterday. I took a job as a Floral Designer at a local floral shop and am going to work part time. I cannot to describe to you how ecstatic I am about this change in our lives!!! Not only do I get to do what I love, but I can work part time and be with Eloise more often. I have been so miserable at Walmart and have wanted to get out for so long but never knew how I could. The Lord finally brought along the solution and I am so grateful.
I have developed gestational diabetes and am now on the special diet that is CRAZY. BUT, if it keeps Eloise safe, healthy, and happy, I am trying my best to make it work. It is crazy hard though. I NEVER KNEW how many carbs I ingest. It is unreal. So, my doctor told me yesterday that because of the diabetes, she won't let me go past 39 weeks. So let's all pray that I go into labor on my own and that she won't have to induce me early. Eloise is at 3lb 10 oz and I'm 30 weeks. She's kind of a big girl, so I need to keep the diabetes under control so she maintains a healthy weight.
I am started getting more into my couponing today. I never really wanted to try to make time for it before but now I can :) I'm heading out tomorrow to take advantage of my deals and can't wait to see how much money I can save! My friend, Jamie, is an extreme couponer and she's so amazing at it. I figure if I can do half as well as she does I'm ok with that :)
Our 5 year wedding anniversary is this Friday!!!! I can't believe it! He's still my favorite person in the whole world, my best friend. People act like 5 years is a long time to still love and get along with your spouse, but for crying out loud. I think if you don't feel the same way we do, you probably married the wrong person. Not to say our feelings for one another haven't changed in any way, because they have. Our feelings have grown deeper, matured. We know each other so much better now, yet there's still so much to know :) We are about to become parents together, that'll really open up a can of worms ;) I can't WAIT!!!!!

Eloise Justine Hill

So, had our anatomy ultrasound yesterday and of course told the ultrasound tech we wanted to know the sex of our baby. She went through all the measurements and checked out all the vital organs (baby is right on track) and finally got to the point where we all take a peek to find out if baby is boy or girl. After poking around at baby for a few seconds to get a foot out of the way, we very clearly saw that our Baby E is an Eloise! I would have been equally excited no matter the sex but finding out we are going to be mommy and daddy to a baby girl was just breathtaking. I am already realizing all the ways our lives are going to change just because of the knowledge that we are having a girl. I'm already worried and feeling overprotective! AHH! I love her so much and she's only 9oz. !!!!
I've gained 7.5 lbs so far, and really hoping I'm on track so I don't gain too much weight. I'm not a fan of having to lose weight so I'm really trying to keep it within the 25 or so lbs that is healthy to gain.
So, mom and dad have been a part of all our drs appts so far and they always take us out to breakfast afterwards. This time, after breakfast, we also went shopping for baby girl clothes. It felt so good to actually know which we were looking for and to start planning those things that you generally need to know the sex for.
Kairi is basically lying on the laptop at this point so I'm going to wrap up and let her have my lap.

Leaving Facebook

Joey and I have decided we are going to leave Facebook. I'm actually really excited about it. So unless I have your contact info, this will be the only want to stay in touch with me from now on.

So I'm just gonna blab for a few, get back into the swing of blogging. Joey made the most delicious no bake cookies tonight. I'm gonna go have the biggest one with a glass of milk!!!

We find out what the gender of our baby is on May 10 and I'm so excited to be able to start buying stuff!!!! And to stop calling the Baby E, and start calling him/her by their name.

Work has been really trying lately, and I'm contemplating my options for after the baby if born. Being a stay at home mom isn't financially an option for  us so I'm trying to get that dream out of my head for now.

We are watching the NFL draft so I'm gonna get back to that. Colts are up in 5 picks!!!

anyone else baffled that I am going to be a MOM?!

So, as of this coming Friday, I will be two months pregnant. I. Will. Be. Two. Months. Pregnant. Pregnant...me...

We found out January 29, 2011- by accident. We had only been "trying" for 3 months- and by trying, I mean, no birth control. We weren't even at the point yet of taking temperatures and calculations. I don't think either of us thought it would actually happen so fast.
So, over the course of those three months, I would take a pregnancy test at the end of each cycle just to test, not really expecting anything. So, that night, it was time for the habitual test taking, and I opted for the cheap one. Mom had brought me a cheap dollar store test earlier in the week that some friends of hers had given her as a prank retirement gift. When I was finished taking the test, I left it at the sink and went about doing some cleaning while waiting for the results. I went back a few minutes later two see two pink lines. I matched the results up with the box, and two pink lines meant pregnant. I just stared at it. I even contemplated not showing it to Joey but then I thought, what the heck, I'll get him excited. I figured the test was just cheap and inaccurate. I went to the living room to show him the test and he just smiled, his eyes got kinda big and giddy. I said I would drink some water and wait a bit and then take the more expensive test I already had. His excitement got me excited and I started to think that it might not be so inaccurate. So, to relax, I took a bath. When I got out it was time to take the other test. I took it, and then set it on the side of the bathtub. Kairi ran in, and bumped it with her nose, and it fell right into the draining bubbly bath water. I got all hyper and new that the bubbles and water had probably messed with the results. Joey pulled it out and said something like, well, you better not look at it then. I said, why not?!? He replied, it says you're pregnant! We kind of jumped around and flipped out and I said, well that's it! You have to go to the store and get another one! For all I knew, that last one had been contaminated by the bath water! ;) So, at 10:30pm, he jumped in the car (all the while I was panicking that he would die in a car crash on his way to bring me a pregnancy test) and ran to kroger. The pharmacy of course was closed and all the tests were locked up. So, he ran to the BRAND NEW CVS, which was also closed! Ran to the Walgreens, which thank the Lord, was open AND had the tests unlocked, and grabbed the digital ones that actually say "Pregnant" and "Not Pregnant". Foolproof. I had been gulping water while he was away so finally at 11:15pm I took the final test. I put it on the ledge of the tub again and this time shut the bathroom door while we waited outside with the timer set to three minutes. When the time was up we walked in, hand in hand, only looking at each other. I said, on the count of three, we can look at it together. One, two, three. We bent over the tub and clear as day was the word PREGNANT. Ok, now I was convinced. So we screamed, and jumped around, and hugged, and kissed, and had stars in our eyes. We were kinda in shock too. We took the picture of the three tests and emailed it to my mom. Called her up, told her to check her email. She said, "Megan, what are you trying to say?!" They were REALLY shocked. And excited. But very shocked. And then I realized that at that point I was already "one month" pregnant, so then we got all excited and panicky that was only had 8 more months to plan, and buy, and prepare!
It's been a fun last month. It will be even more fun when I finally go to the doctor and hear a heartbeat and am 100% convinced that all those tests weren't false positives. I've not had any morning sickness, and any symptoms I have had, I never would have related to pregnancy. It's hard to believe that now I only have seven months to plan, and buy, and prepare! It's such an unreal feeling, kinda blissful.

My dad is calling the baby, "Baby Mohill". Don't know where he came up with that. We are calling the baby, Baby E or Little E. Both names for boy or girl start with "E" so for now it makes sense.

I've babbled enough for now, I'm sure I will have alot more to say soon when I start to blow up and get all hot and cranky ;)

My Christian walk (which before this week has been a consistent saunter) has changed dramatically. A few days ago the Lord spoke to me in a way I've never heard. I won't dare say He hasn't spoken to me numerous time before but this time I think He may have yelled. He made sure I finally heard Him. I can't quite delve into the many ways in which our relationship has changed quite yet. I'm still figuring that out myself. But one thing is certain, my life has been about theology and doctrine and structure. That's how I like to live my Christian life. That IS NOT how God likes me to live my Christian life. Oh my word, how I have been WRONG. Please keep myself and Joey in your prayers. Our lives are about to change in ways I hope we don't see coming. For the first time in my life, I can and want to say that Jesus is my King. Period.

who's your brother, who's your sister
you just walked passed him
i think you missed her
as we're all migrating to the place where our father lives
'cause we married in to a family of immigrants

my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man
my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood
it's to a king & a kingdom

there are two great lies that i’ve heard:
“the day you eat of the fruit of that tree, you will not surely die”
and that Jesus Christ was a white, middle-class republican
and if you wanna be saved you have to learn to be like Him

but nothing unifies like a common enemy
and we’ve got one, sure as hell
but he may be living in your house
he may be raising up your kids
he may be sleeping with your wife
oh no, he may not look like you think


I've heard this song many times before but never really listened to the words the way I did today. It is sticking with me today...

"King and a Kingdom" - Derek Webb

Does anyone have any ideas on improving memory? It's been bad most of my life but the last 4 years or so it has just fallen out of my brain! I have reminders and lists all over the house that I MUST write down the moment it enters my head or else I WILL forget it. Guaranteed! I use my phone (both the calendar and the notebook) as well as sticky notes, a notebook, and several paper calendars. I'm worried about that day when we have kiddos running around here. If I can't remember my own dealings, how am I going to remember theirs? I had to write myself a note this morning reminding myself to eat breakfast and then to pack my lunch before leaving for work. I got to work with a 3x5 card already half filled with things I wanted to get done today. I don't even know how many times I've stood up to go do something and forgot what it was I stood up for. I had an associate come to me today with some things she is concerned about. She rattled 5 or 6 things of to me, no reminder notes. I said, wow, I'm so impressed you just told me all those things without forgetting even one! She said, yeah I have a good memory. Why do you think I asked you to get out your notebook? Everyone knows my memory is bad, we laugh about it from time to time. But what makes it bad? I mean, what is it in my brain that doesn't work properly? Or is it nothing like that at all? Do I just focus on the wrong things or too many things? Do I not listen carefully? Do I have ADD?? ;)
I don't know what the deal is but I would really like to start working on improving it. Anyone else in this boat? Have any solutions?

I'm old enough to retire, right?

Back to work tomorrow. But, that's ok, it's surprising how much my outlook changed when I wasn't even thinking about it. And thank goodness, too. I like my attitude much more this way :)
So tonight was Balsamic Filet of Beef, mashed potatoes, and sauteed peppers, onion, and french green beans. I don't deal with green beans much so I was concerned about sauteing them but they turned out great. The filet was incredible. A little more done than I would have liked but tender and juicy just the same. You've GOT TO TRY this beef. Mix some dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper and just rub it all over the beef. Roast at 450 until it's cooked to your liking and you will fall in love. Yum yum yum!!!! I make my mashed potatoes with butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper. I run the potatoes through a food mill rather than use a masher or mixer and they are the creamiest potatoes ever. I've used the food mill for quite some time (thanks to Ina) but I never thought to put sour cream in the potatoes until last spring when a friend's mom made us meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Thanks, Kim!! She basically taught me how to make meatloaf as well (which is on the menu for later next week). All this food talk is making me hungry so I'm going to scrape up a snack and hit the sack...maybe I should throw poetry into the blog mix as well? ;)

I used 2 heads of garlic at dinner!

We had mom and dad over for dinner today. I love feeding my dad. No offense to Joey but the guy loves everything I make. Of course my goal is to always please him with a dish or new recipe but he's so in love with my love of cooking he only ever has good things to say. It's hard to judge my realistic cooking prowess when he's the only other one eating it. My dad, however, gives me the feedback I'm looking for without even meaning to. When he sits down at my dining room table he acts like he's never eaten anything so tasty. The man had 4 helpings at dinner! Without even verbalizing his feelings of my food, my dad tells me exactly what I need to know.

Tonight's cuisine was Italian. Shrimp Scampi Linguine and Bruschetta. I have never liked bruschetta. I had it at Olive Garden some time back and it was so bland and lifeless. Never counted myself as a fan. Joey has wanted to try it out for a while so we ordered some at Macaroni Grill last weekend. OMG, it was perfect. The tomatoes were bright and fresh, the basil and garlic complimenting each other and the seasonings were just right. I know it couldn't be harder than tying a shoe so I called my parents, the guinea pigs and asked them to dinner. Anyway, not to brag, but my bruschetta was even better. I used roma tomatoes and a 25 year old barrel aged balsamic vinegar that just put it over the top.  Shaved parmesan and grilled rustic Italian bread (brushed with a garlic olive oil) just made it all that much better. It was so good that when we ran out of bread, we were throwing it on the linguine just so we could continue slurping it's juicy goodness.

The Shrimp Scampi Linguine was very surprising as well. The last time I made something like that was way back when Rachel Ray first came out and I knew nothing about cooking. Her recipe called for chicken broth in the sauce. The shrimp tasted like they had just finished eating chicken ramen and it was terrible. This scampi was exactly how it should be. Butter, oil, garlic, lemon. So fresh. Toss with linguine, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes, good to go! Tomorrow forecast calls for balsamic filet of beef...it's our present to us before we go back to work.

Speaking of work, tomorrow is our last day off. I've honestly never had such a relaxing, yet multi-faceted vacation in my life. I am in no way, shape, or form looking forward to going back to work, but I can say that this vacation was good and long. Tomorrow is going to be 100% vegging. I probably won't get out of my pajamas. We have a stack of movies ready for viewing and a clean house to demand we sit down and enjoy it...in fact, I think I'll start right now.

Blogger Virgin!

So this is definitely the first time I've ever blogged. Seeing as how inconsistent I am 99% of the time I know how I plan to use this blog, but let's all be prepared for it to take another direction at any given time :)
Let me go take the cookies out of the oven...
Mmmm, warm shortbread!

So this blog will be two-fold. I am going to use this as an experimental cooking blog (Picture Julie and Julia). I also wanted to try my hand at good ol life blogging. It won't take long to find out how blogging will agree with me, let's just give it a few days ;)

So Joey and I are on the last leg of our 10 day vacation. Boy, has it been glorious. I've done ALOT of cooking, more on that later. We moved our bedroom downstairs and moved our office upstairs. Our bedroom is super cozy, has wood floors, A CLOSET, ceiling fan, and french doors. Tall ceiling and close proximity to the bathroom and kitchen (for midnight snacking) are also great too. Don't know why we never thought of it before! The office is now upstairs as well as a library, reading room, and scrapbooking cubby. We really feel like we are bringing this house up to it's fullest potential. We've spent so much time thinking about and trying to get out of it that we've missed all the opportunities we could make for ourselves here. We are really beginning to fall in love with what this house has to offer us at this point in our lives.

Tonight I made my first ever roast chicken. I was fine getting it out of the packaging. I was fine getting it into the pan. I was fine pulling out the giblets. I was not fine, however, when I picked up a wing to tuck it under the body. I don't know what that noise was that came out of my mouth but I hope I never make it again! Realizing that I was pulling on an actual dead chicken arm really did me in. Joey had to fix up the rest of the chicken for me. Think I'll ever be able to cook a lobster??? Anyway, once  we got the chicken into the oven and on it's way to being double dead, things were looking up. I roasted some asparagus and mushrooms and whipped up some extra creamy mashed potatoes and dinner was ON! Made a white wine sauce with the chicken drippings and we were in hog...em...chicken heaven. Shortbread cookies are on their way to joining the party in just a few minutes.

We've got plenty more recipes planned to round out our beautiful looooooooooong weekend so I'll keep ya posted on those. Gonna go round up some chocolate sauce to dip those cookies in.