Black Friday Frenzy!

Though I'm always up for a good sale, I am definitely not a morning person nor someone who tolerates waiting in line for hours so for the 4am doorbuster, I was still fast asleep while many Black Friday shoppers were waiting to get those 'perfect' presents for a steal. However, after a relaxing morning, Pat and I headed out to the mall in search of some good deals at JCPenney's. Not only did we score there (maternity pants for me, new jeans and great jackets for Pat) but also at Motherhood Maternity where Pat treated me to some beautiful dresses, including this one which I'll be wearing to my cousin's rehearsal dinner and friend's wedding in less than 3 weeks!
But the sales didn't stop there- Saturday was our Target and Ulta day where I found great gifts and some wonderful steals for Dan and I, like queen flannel sheets for 13.99 and a queen down comforter for 29.99! I brought Pat over to foundation heaven by introducing her to bareMinerals. While I restocked my makeup bag, she purchased the starter kit to try it out.
Just when I thought the savings were over, today turned out to be another great day and I didn't have to leave the comfort of my in-laws' house! After checking the availability of our bedding set that we had registered for and finding it was no longer at Bed, Bath and Beyond, I started hunting for something that would match the sheets we had received as wedding gifts. It was a long and, at times, overwhelming hunt, but it had a successful end at Overstock.com. For less than what our original set cost, I purchased the beautiful set below plus 2 Euro (square) pillows to go with the Euro shams that came with the set.

This is my first purchase from Overstock, but I'm confident that I'll love it. My mom purchased our baby bedding for us from there and it is darling! (see below)

I hope all the shoppers who are reading this came away from this weekend with some good buys! Feel free to comment on the post to share your favorites.

Turkey Day 2009

It's been hours since we finished our amazing meal at Dan's parent's house and I'm still full! We drove in last night and today we probably spent the most time apart as a couple since we've moved to Oklahoma. He was able to get some 'gaming' in with his brother, Ben, and best friend, Dan H., while I helped his mom in the kitchen. We worked diligently and were rewarded with a feast fit for kings. My main contributions were the mashed potatoes (I diced, boiled and then mashed/mixed until there wasn't a lump to be found!) and keeping the kitchen clean by washing our utensils, pans, pots, etc during the preparing. We had delicious, hot dinner rolls which aren't usually featured at my family's Thanksgiving feast since there are so many of us, so I really enjoyed eating those up. Our turkey was very juicy and tender and just the right size for our group.
In between our cooking, Dan's mom (Pat) and I watched our wedding DVD. It was the first time she had seen it and loved every minute. She was very excited when I told her that we had 2 copies and that she could take one to show her mom when she makes a visit to Cleveland early next year. I hadn't watched it in a while and it was nice to see my wonderful family even though we're apart for this holiday. I surprised myself by not getting super emotional (ie: sobbing) today because I wasn't with my family since having married Daniel, I have added to his family to my wonderful family and got to celebrate with them today (and Dan H., who might as well be another brother-in-law).
I hope you all had wonderful Thanksgivings wherever you may be. God bless!

Baby Update

To bring you all up to speed here's a summary on how our first little miracle is developing:

I am almost 19 weeks along and this pregnancy has been very uneventful and 'normal.' I have been extremely thankful for this fact. No morning sickness at all and the only concerning thing was some heart palpitations which were checked out and found to be caused by the extra blood flow and simply a normal symptom of pregnancy. (They have since gone away.) The baby has been moving for the few weeks which is really exciting. I'm the only one who can feel it right now, but in a few weeks the kicks should be strong enough to be felt by Daniel who is looking forward to it.
Even though it's fun to compare our little one to fruits and vegetables, I love visiting www.babycenter.com to see exactly how the baby is developing. Just click on the timeline to see what the baby looks like at specific weeks in the pregnancy. My little sister, Grace, likes to visit the site with me even though she says the baby 'looks sorta like an alien.' 
Here's a picture of my baby bump at week 17. I'll be posting these kind of shots as I grow so you can see the difference in size. 

Have a happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

"I'm part of a dying breed- the housewife." -Debra, Everybody Loves Raymond

After almost a week at Vance, we've adjusted from enjoying dinners at my parents' house to cooking our own meals. We've kept the first meals simple but delicious. Working in a tiny kitchen takes some getting used to, but I've managed to avoid catching anything on fire. However, our smoke detector did go off twice when I fried hamburgers the other night since there is not a fan in the kitchen and the ceiling is low. (Note to self: use non-stick pan next time and keep the windows open!) After that adventure in the kitchen, we made some delicious brownies to make the room smell like chocolate instead of hamburgers.

Another thing that takes adjusting is the idea of not working outside of the home for awhile. Although I will be putting my Saint Mary’s education to good use within a year (or possibly sooner), I’m taking time to develop my cooking skills, keeping my home nice and tidy and getting ready for our beautiful baby to arrive. I was fortunate enough to watch my mom perform her duties as housewife for the last 22 years so I know this is no easy task. I only hope that I can be as half as good as she is! Her ability to coordinate schedules, get delicious meals on the table every night and maintain her sanity while raising four children and not killing a crazy dog is extraordinary. Luckily, like her I have a wonderful husband who is very supportive and helpful. 

If anyone has good recipes they’d like to share- let me know! I’d love to try some new ones.

We have arrived!

After 18 hours, 1116 miles and one night in St. Louis later, we have safely arrived at Vance Air Force Base. Located in Enid, OK, the base is home to many student pilots and now us: Daniel, me and yet-to-be born Baby. We are currently living in a TLF (temporary living facility) until a base house becomes available. It is very similar to a hotel room (complete with housekeeper)with a comfy bed, a TV directly in front of the bed and perfectly coordinated curtains, chair and lamps. Unlike most hotel rooms, it has a full kitchen with a gas stove, big fridge and countertop which serves as both preparation space and dining table with two bar stools. My first experiences on base as an Air Force officer's wife have been very enjoyable. We visited the BX (base exchange) and the Commissary (aka grocery store) where we stocked up on a variety of things including boots, a paper shredder, laundry basket, and food because man (and woman) cannot live on Pizza Hut alone- despite how delicious their breadsticks are.
Daniel started in-processing this Monday while I attempted to put our limited space into some kind of order. It was a challenge with limited drawer space and a closet that does not lend itself to two people's wardrobes. Yesterday we visited the Base Clinic to enroll me in Tri-Care (military health insurance) and get a list of doctors that offer prenatal care and where I can deliver our little bundle of joy.

The weather went from typical Pittsburgh weather this time of year- cold, gray and rainy but it's been beautiful for the last couple of days. A bagger at the commissary said that we might be getting snow soon- I guess we'll have to wait and see! Our adventure into the wild, blue yonder has officially begun!