BixFest 2011 Doing 7 in 11

Good Morning Blogland,

Have you heard of the Bix Hill, this is a picture of it but you cant clearly see the it. It is my favorite part of the race due to the music, people cheering, and energy in the air!!!

Well the weekend has arrived!! We have a great weekend ahead of us. For he past three years we have done the Bix and love the tradition that we have started with Joey's dad and stepmom Tammy.

This weekend is all about spending time together and enjoying all the festivities of Davenport.

We love having houseguest and Joe and Tammy know that so they make frequent trips to see us during the year. Tonight we will be having a big pasta dinner and Saturday we plan to have a cookout!!

Joe, Tammy and Joey will be running the full 7 miles and I will be doing the QuickBix 2 mile walk!

I love watching them come in at the finish line and then we get to hang out at the after party which is always fun!

Look out for pictures from the event next week!

Stroller Strides

Good Morning,

It is a gloomy rainy day in the Quad Cities, I wonder if the weather will turn-around and the sun will come out?

Have you ever heard of Stroller Strides?


I hadn't until a couple of weeks ago when a friend was telling me about it. Stroller Strides is a workout class for moms with kids and pregnant women. Stroller Strides is a total fitness program for new moms that they can do with their babies. It includes cardio bursts and intervals of body toning and ab work. Taught by specially trained instructors, it's a great workout for any level of exerciser.

I tried out the class yesterday for the first time and here were my thoughts:
-LOVED that it was outside along one of our beautiful trails in the QC during the winter it is held inside.
-LOVED getting to meet more women that are in the same chapter of life with me.
-the instructor did a great job modifying things for the pregnant ladies!!!
-I felt so great afterwards!!! It is good to get your heart pumping when pregnant!
Overall I would highly recommend this class to anyone!!!!

Want more information on it? Check out http://www.strollerstrides.com/

28 Weeks and Counting!!!!

Hello,

Well today marks a big day!! 28 weeks marks the beginning of the third trimester!!!!

I cant believe it has gone by so fast!!!!! I feel like just yesterday we were telling people that we were expecting, now we are prepping the room for this little baby and dreaming about our future with this blessing!

28 Weeks

Here I am at 28 weeks we were getting ready to go to a work function for Joey, yes this is my bump update with makeup! Ha Ha Ha

What's going on with Baby H :
This week baby H has reached 2 1/2 pounds and may be 16 inches long ( we know this is true for our baby since it has been long from the beginning) Baby is learning to Blink this week along with coughing, sucking, hiccuping, and taking practice breaths, The lungs are nearly fully developed mature by now making it easier for your baby to breath.

What's new with Momma H:
I am feeling great!!! I think pregnancy suits me!! It is all about the mindset in my opinion. Clothes are mainly summer dresses, yoga pants, and maternity jeans!!!!  Sleeping has become a new challenge. Baby H seems to start a dance party around 10:30 and shuts it down around 4:30. Sometimes I am able to sleep through it other times I cant. I try not to keep Joey up but I think it must be hard for him to sleep through all the tossing and turning that I do.

Cravings:
Still fresh fruit but now sour things. Sour patch kids don't do the trick the anymore so I am on the search for a new kind of sour.

Nursery:
So excited to show it off to all of you!! It is coming together and the MR has worked very hard on it!
Here is the dad to be:

Babies R Us had an incredible deal on diapers so I picked up our first package of newborn diapers and we couldn't stop laughing/.smiling over the size it is so small!!!!!!! It literally fit inside of Joe's palm.

Have a great day!

A Craving to Cook OR A Craving to Eat!

Yup you read this title right!!!!!

Do I have a craving to COOK

OR

Do I have a craving to EAT

I will let you decide. I found this new cooking blog and I am in LOVE!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy these tasty sights and check out the new site:
http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/


 Coconut Lime Berry Cake: Does this scream summer to you as much as it did to me? I am dying to try this and think I will sometime this weekend for Bixfest!!!! What a perfect combination of sweet berries and the punch of lime in cake!
Pineapple Salsa, another recipe that I think is a summer essential! With this heat fresh fruit has been at the forefront of my mind and this looks wonderful!!! Also I thought it was a great change of pace to the normal salsa
Lemon Cookies these made me think of my MOM. They would be right up her alley! I wish I could whip up a batch for her to take on vacation to enjoy!
and finally A Peach, Basil, Mozzarella, Balsamic Pizza on a summer night with friends, PERFECTION! YUM I haven't had anything like this before but it sounds like a perfect match to me.

Friday Five

Yes I know what you are thinking "Erin we thought you said a baby H update for today?"

Well that was the plan, but when we went to take the picture last night the camera was completely dead. So no baby update today but rather a mis-mash of other stuff!

Hope you enjoy!

First up Guess what I have been thinking about lately?

St. Lucia the destination that we went to for our honeymoon and all the wonderful days we had their!! Oh the sand, water, food and so many more!!!!!!
Guess what though our sweet baby already has plans to be flying when he/she is only 5 1/2 months dont worry I will keep you posted on where we are going as it gets closer!

2. Tailgating

This is from a few years ago and it was such a FUN day!! I dont think I will be doing alot of tailgating before Baby H arrives but I hope to get in maybe one or two games!

3. Weddings!
We have a flurry of weddings coming up!! I am really excited for them though because one is a family wedding and the other is for our friends and we will see a bunch of our friends that we haven't seen in a long time!!!

4. BIXFEST
Oh yes the Bix is right around the corner. I am doing the QuickBix which is the two mile walk! I am excited for it! We have family coming in for town so that will make it another memorable Bix. I love the Bix due to all the street fairs and people watching!! Good times are ahead!

5. And finally. . . this guy

He is simply the best! He is such a hard worker, loves unconditionally, and is MY VERY BEST FRIEND!!!!

Belly Reads

Good Morning,

This morning I have some reads for you all about the BELLY (pregnancy that is) These were great finds that were given to me by another momma and I am so grateful for them!!!!

First Up:
What To Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff

In my opinion this is a staple, must have, consider it your Bible for first time pregnancy. This book has been next to my bed throughout my entire pregnancy and I am very grateful for it. It had been the reassurance when we haven't know what something is and the foreshadowing of what is coming out way! I loved this book it is an easy read and breaks down every month by week to week. If you are expecting or know someone who is this is a MUST HAVE!

Secondly:
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

Let me first say prior to becoming pregnant I wasn't into breastfeeding, What do I mean by this? Well I wasn't breastfeed and turned out fine and it wasn't something that I thought about doing in my future. First up I didn't like the idea that the father or other family members couldn't enjoy the process of feeding the baby. Secondly I didn't like the idea that I wouldn't know how much milk the baby was getting. With this being said when I became pregnant things CHANGED! I wanted to give my baby the very best and the very best is to breastfeed. Breastfeeding isn't easy and there are sacrifices you have to make but in the end when you know you are giving your child the best this makes it so much easier to rationalize the idea. For me this book does an excellent job in explaining the benefits, the process, and aids in different issues that may come up.

Third:
Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy

Who wants to laugh!!! This book was a great afternoon read one day when Joe and I were at the beach. The great part about it that is written from a very REAL perspective on things that occur when you are pregnant. Joe and I got a kick out of reading the chapters! Jenny is sure a comedian even when it comes to pregnancy.

Fourth:
Ina Mays Guide To Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

When deciding what type of labor and birth I wanted I knew I wanted to go natural because it was the best for me as a momma and the best for the baby. Many don't know what a TRUE natural birth is. A TRUE natural birth is when you don't have any medicine such as pitocin, epidural, or any other pain reliever and don't use intervention in delivering the baby. This is my ultimate goal and this book really helped prepare me for the reality of what I was aiming for. If you are interested in a natural birth this book is an amazing read that will empower you as a mother to be!

Finally is a DVD

An amazing documentary how about childbirth in the United States. This documentary takes a look at childbirth how it has changed over the years, why certain things are done in hospitals, and the rights of all parents to be. Did you know that the United States has the second highest mortality rate for maternity and infant death? Scary right, same thing I was thinking. Check it out for a eye opening perspective on the topic of childbirth.
Tomorrow: Baby H update!

B=Becky the Bride

Good Morning,

Hope you all had a great weekend and are surviving this heat! Yikes it is MUGGY!

Well the boys had a great time in Chicago. Lots of laughs a win and a loss for the Cubs, and great family time together!

Friday I had some lovely dinner guests.

Poppy, Grammie and my momma!!!! We decided to brave the hear and sit outside for dinner it wasn't to bad. They were very good and helped me get ready for the shower that I was part of the next day. My mom also came to the shower to be my partner in the drive and in setting up. You are so good CoCo thanks for all your help and all the good talks!

The picture of the cake made by one of the bridesmaids. A combination of cupcakes and a cake, so cute and the colors black and red looked great!

The yummy food. One of the dishes I made was a snicker salad. It turned out great!  I will have to post the recipe because it is super easy as well. Also do you see the tissue paper pom pom in the background? I made a bunch of black and red ones for the shower I had never done these but  I would encourage anyone that is looking for a fun easy decoration to try these they are super easy!!!!

And the wonderful Haluska girls!!!! Becky is Bride is in the middle with the coral dress. I loved being with you ladies and catching up. Cant wait to see you in a few weeks again for the BIG celebration!!!!

Brotherly Love

Good Morning,

It's Friday and it looks to be a  beautiful weekend! I am excited for the weekend because it is filled with family time!!!!!!!!

The weekend started for us last night with the arrival of Joey's brother Mikey, who I love dearly! We had a cookout last night and lots of laughs.

Joey and Mikey have created a yearly tradition of attending a series of Cubs game in Chicago every summer. I love that they do this because it is important to have family traditions together.

I was able to snap a few pictures before they took off this morning:

I love you boys, you are the best in the world and I am so glad I have you both in my life!!!!!!

What's on the agenda for me you may be wondering, well on Saturday I will head to Des Moines for Joey's cousin's bridal shower.I am so glad that I can be part of the event and see more Haluska's

Have a great weekend everybody!

26 Weeks

This is not my favorite picture but it is the only one that I have that is closest to the the 26 week mark so here you blogland- yeah for pregnancy pictures!!!!!

Well things are going well!!!!! I cant believe in only a few short months baby H will be here!

Enjoy the update:
What is happening with Baby H this week:
The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches

Cravings: Pretty much the same FRUIT, FRUIT, and FRUIT. 

Clothes: Pretty much all maternity. I can still wear some shirts that I wore before pregnancy but the pants are all maternity.

Nursery: We have the room emptied out and Joey moved the crib we got last week up to the room. Next up will be painting the room, then filling it with all the baby goodies.

Names: We have out list for the hospital ready to go.

This past Monday we had an appointment with my Midwife, (who I love) and the baby was transverse which mean the baby was long ways, which surprised us all because he had been head down. I had my glucose tolerance test that same day and then had to go back yesterday and now the baby is breach head up, bottom down. So hopefully in the next month or so this sweet baby gets turned around and gets back to his head down position.

Quad City Moms Blog

Good Morning Blogland!!!!!

I am very excited to announce today that I have co-founded a new website for the Quad City area called

www.quadcitymomsblog.com

It is a blog that is
-for moms to be
-current mothers
-a great resource to connect with other other mothers

We are passionate about the community we live in and the mothers that live here.

Check out our site today and like us on facebook and comment and be entered into our fantastic giveaway
$100.00 gift car to STROLLER STRIDES

When You're A Momma To Be. . . . .

When You're A Momma To Be . . . . . . . . . .

THINGS CHANGE   like

the way you sleep

the way your clothes look

YOUR BODY

what type of food sounds good

YOUR FEET

the way you pray

they way you look at life and plan for the future

and . . . . . THE WAY YOU SHOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

You stop looking for YOU and start looking for that BABE!

A little something if our baby is BOY:

This was the first baby thing I bought. To me it was just so JOEY I could see him wearing the same thing!

A little something if our baby is a GIRL:

A pink and brown outift and then a little white outfit with pink trim and cutie hat!!!!!!

Have a great day!

Catching Up With The Haluska's

Good Morning,

Hope you all had a great weekend! We had a busy weekend around the house!!!!!

I need to do a catch up from the past couple of weeks so get ready for a BIG POST ( while I am typing this Baby H is kicking away) silly baby!

First up, a couple of weeks ago Joey's sister was back in Iowa from Hawaii so we headed to Indianola to see her. It had been way to long and we wont be seeing her for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year so it was very important for us to see her when she was back. Before we got to see her though we got to do some babysitting. Tammy's sister has two little girls Dylin and Reese Dylin is 21 months and Reese is 8 weeks old so it was so much fun. And Guess who Ms. Dylin feel ln love for. . . . . JOEY!

Don't you love her hair???It is awesome! The two cuddle bugs hanging out!

Grandpa in training! Big Joe is awesome with the girls and I cant wait to see him with his grand baby. Tammy and Joe are even getting their house ready with baby gear for baby H Love you guys!

One of Dylin's favorite things to do! FLY

So blessed to get to be a parent with this guy, he is a natural!

Now onto the 4th of July. Joey had training the week before the long Holiday weekend so we were up in Naperville already and decided to stay on to celebrate the festivities. We did so MANY fun things and loved our time with the best hostess in the world COCO!

Like an afternoon spent with these two! Where we did some shopping, had a picnic, and then visited an ice cream store where thy put an actual scoop of cookie dough mix on top of your ice cream, am I making you sound hungry or what?

These blonde's cant get enough of JOEY! Madeline even went on to tell me that she needed to marry Joe to! I just cant stop loving that girl!

Then we spent an afternoon on the Naperville River Walk which follows the Fox River. Here is a picture of Grammie and Poppy and Mom enjoy the rest of the pics.

                                                                 My Love

                                            Exelon Headquarters is located in Naperville and they have a rock along the Riverwalk so I made Joe pose by it and no he wasn't super excited about it.

Joe and I then snuck away for an afternoon of US time and hung out at the Centennial Beach which is a quarry we loved it

On the actual 4th of July Joey took my mom and I for a ride on one of these around the lake, which we loved

Mom and I in downtown Naperville shopping

THANK YOU to our wonderful COCO you take such good care of us and love us so much! We love you and cant wait for our next visit!

Baby Talk

Good Morning,

I plan to do a recap soon of our 4th Of July because it was GREAT! But today I wanted to cover some baby topics.

first up: Diapers. Did you know that in the first year of life a baby goes through 3,000 diapers WOW I was pondering cloth diapers but the more I read, the more anxious I got about it. I did however find a great site to order diapers on for great price, diapers.com They actually have the 7th generation diapers which aren't so bad for the environment.

Secondly: Breast feeding. Yikes I am nervous. Before becoming pregnant I never thought I would do this but one we knew we were going from 2 to 3 Istarted thinking more about it and couldn't say no when I knew it was the best thing for baby and me. I am hoping this sweet baby thinks the same thing as well. Here is my motto for it: If it works great, if it doesn't it isn't the end of the world.

Next Up: Names. This past week while soaking up some sun I gave into hubby's demands and finalized our list for the hospital. We have a boy and girl list and we both have our favorites. I am confidenant that when we meet the baby we will know what name is perfect.

Finally: Nursery. Well, we will be turning one of our upstairs bedroom into the nursery. I have been searching sites for ideas and different bedding. This past weekend we made our first purchase for the room and that is THE CRIB. It is beautiful and I love the color of it. It made the bAby thing seem even more real. we have one more guest who will sleep in the room next weekend, then we will begin the transformation of the room with paint, decor and furniture. I can't wait to show the boy and girl bedding to you all and a few of the things that I am working on for the room.

Have a great day!