Yay for taxes

Jake and I just got notification today from CTEC that our applications to be licensed tax preparers in the state of California have been successfully processed and accepted. We are now OFFICIALLY licensed California Tax Preparers...

It's funny where life leads you. My mom has been in the accounting field since before I was born. Seeing what she does, and my disdain for math made me swear up and down I'd never become professionally acquainted with the accounting and tax fields. But...of course, that changed. I still hate math mind you, but now I guess my mom's history got the best of me. :)

Summer and I are still waiting to hear from the state about our notary licenses...they take FOREVER!

Tomorrow is also Lynn's birthday. Summer, Jake and I all went in on this GORGEOUS bottle and glasses set that a friend of ours made. The bottle and glasses are made from green and brown glass with very pretty artistic burgundy and gold paint on it...it's tough to explain. I'm making everyone enchiladas for dinner...but...

I'm itching to try the recipe I got yesterday at the shower: Lady Godiva Chocolate Cake...just saying the words is making my blood sugar skyrocket, hehehehehehe. It's funny to me...seeing all the neat gadgets and doodads Lori and Katie got yesterday has inspired me to become more domestic. But of course that would mean having a kitchen with more than a foot of counterspace (no joke...that's how much we have)...

The Big Clean is happening, slowly but surely. I'm not sure if we'll make our Yard Sale deadline of August 16th, but I will sure as heck try. Here's keeping the fingers crossed...

Blown away...once again

I've always been one to offer a lot of support for others, not to toot my own horn honestly. I've also never been one to ask for support from others, or try to involve others in my personal business.

Of course, trying to become a parent throws those "morals" out the window to a certain degree. I've been needing support from others who have been in my shoes, or are going through similar experiences as Jake and I. Fortunately, I've learned family and my new-found friends have given me just that.

I've always been a little distant from my cousins on my Dad's side of the family to a certain extent. I guess it's because there's a pretty decent jump in age between them and I. I've always been a little too young to relate to what they've been through. Of course, now that I'm older and more open with my experiences and what Jake and I have been through, I've been feeling closer to them. Today when I was at Katie and Lori's shower, one of my cousins talked to me for a few minutes about becoming a mother, and the troubles with pregnancy. It felt genuinely nice to be able to have someone relate with me like that. For the first time in a REALLY long time, I didn't feel alone. I've been feeling alone a lot in this race to baby. Family never ceases to amaze me in that there is always a way a person you never expected can completely (or mostly) relate to your current situation. Once again, I'm blown away by the amazing people I have the privilege (sp?) to call family. I guess we're all in the same boat now. We're all pretty much married, and soon I'll be joining the mommy club...I feel closer to them now than I have before, and I'm glad. I love my family more than I could ever say, and they're the most important people in the world to me.

Of course in joining the Nest, I've made a lot of new friends too. I've found a completely amazing group of ladies I'm proud to call friends. It's great to relate on everything from work to mommyhood to husbands, to vacations...everything. I count myself extremely lucky to have the kind of people I do surrounding me.

I have dozens of more blessings (family and friends) I can count every day...and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I Love you all!

Checking things off on the road to baby...

As some of you know, Jake and I are trying for our first child. When I was 15 years old, I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycycstic Ovarian Syndrome). It's a growingly-common fertility issue among women, and I'm a lucky contestant.

I've always know I want to be a mom. I feel there's no greater accomplishment than giving another person life, and showing them what that life has to offer. (I know...mushy). Jake, of course, has always known he has wanted to be a father, so our problem was just deciding when we wanted to start. Well, little Skyler was born and that kick-started Jake's brain into baby-mode. Unfortunately, as much as I would like to do the same with my body, I can't. I told him earlier in our relationship that it would be very tough (and worst-case scenario: impossible) for me to have children. So we decided to wait, and just have fun with it. We decided when we got married to seriously try after a year if it felt right. Well, nothing's changed.

So I've been charting my BBT (Basal Body Temperature), and taking pre-natal vitamins as ordered by my doctor. Yesterday I had my first batch of blood tests and got the results today...and I have no idea what any of the results mean, which I'm sure my doctor will explain them to me so I understand what's going on.

Of course, now I've figured out that my veins are difficult to find, so like an idiot, I forgot to drink a lot of water yesterday morning. The phlebotomist poked my right arm, thinking he got a vein and it turned out there was nothing coming out. So he patched me up, flipped me around (I have to lay down during blood tests or else I pass out) and tried the left arm...success!!! I came to work yesterday looking like a drug addict...not fun. So now, all that is left before medicinal treatment is three more weeks of charting, one more batch of blood tests and eating healthy...I am crossing anything and everything I can on my body that everything will go well and baby will be here soon...here's hoping. :)

Trip to LA

Last weekend, Mom, Dad, Jake and I took a roadtrip to LA for April's wedding. It was H-O-T!!! My Dad was part of the wedding party (walked with my sister down the aisle), so he and Mom went to the rehearsal dinner. Jake and I decided to hit up a restaurant we'd seen in commercials, and have wanted to try for a while...Joe's Crab Shack...it was DELISH!! I'm also a big fan of Deadliest Catch, so I ordered King Crab to help support Captains Phil, Sig, Jonathan, Andy and Keith of the Deadlest Catch fleet...of course, we also had to order some good drinks too!

Awesome Drinks

Supportin' the Industry!

I actually cut myself on that thing!

At April and Matt's wedding

After we won free Mickey ears outside the hotel

Mom and me!!

Finally! The rest of the Texas pictures

Yay! I found the other memory stick!! Well, actually Jake found it. We didn't get any pictures of the cats because they were all hiding, and I thought I got pictures of the birds, but I guess I didn't. Well, here are the dogs, and my last adventure in Texas.

Dixie

Nessa



Elphaba

Piper and Flea

Roxanne

Me with a Long Horn Cow at Big Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World

Jake and I on the plane home

The trio

I would like to introduce our kitties. They are Neebs, MJ and Chloe. I have officially learned how to upload videos. I'm sorry the video is a little dark...it was lighter on the camera. Oops. Enjoy!

Introducing the trio

Neebs in the Shower

Neebs, MJ and Chloe

MJ open for business


Chloe in the laundry basket

The boys watching birds outside

Chloe showing off

MJ saying Hello

Texas Trip

So, I know it's been about 3 weeks since Jake and my trip to Texas, and there was an entire memory stick of pictures of Rick and Maria's managerie. They have 6 dogs, 4 cats, and 2 birds. Let me see if I have all this down:

Dogs: 1.) Dixie - an American Eskimo 2.) Piper - a miniature Schnauzer 3.) Flea - a Cairn Terrier 4.) Roxanne - a yellow lab 5.) Elphaba - a Doberman/something else mix 6.) Nessa - A possible pitbull/something else mix

Cats: 1.) Abby - a calico 2.) Phoebe - a calico 3.) Spike - a tuxedo cat 4.) Max - a tuxedo cat (and Spike's brother)

Birds: Paige and Prudence - cockatiels

Whew...can't believe I remember all that.

Anyways...so we got to Texas and Maria's brother Charlie picked us up and drove us to Maria's work. From there we went to the house and met Rick at the SaltGrass Steakhouse where he stood outside waiting for us. He was quite surprised to see us. It was warm and humid, and definitely not weather I'm used too, but after a couple of days, it grows on you and doesn't bother you anymore.

I learned about fire ants and wolf spiders (yes, they have those there) and saw some of the most beautiful houses I've ever seen. I'm definitely jealous. We went to the Federal Bureau of Engraving and Printing (where they make paper money), although they didn't let us take cameras inside for security purposes. I saw buffalo on a farm, and Texas Motor Speedway (see picture below). We also went to the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards which is the biggest cattle auction house/tradepost in the USA. There, I got to see my first Long Horn Cattle (see picture below). They're HUGE!!! I'm not kidding.

We also got to go to the PGA Tour Invitational at Colonial Golf Club in Fort Worth. I got to see Phil Mickelson (the #2 golf player in the world behind Tiger Woods). Tiger Woods didn't couldn't make it to the invitational. It was interesting to see professional golfers "do their thing" and see the following that they have. I also got my very first experience at Bass Big Pro Shops "Outdoor World". All I can say is...wow...it's a redneck Walmart (hahahahaha)

OK, so I'm posting a couple of pictures of our trip, and when I get the other memory stick, I'll post those too. Enjoy!

Texas Motor Speedway

Long Horn Cattle at the Historic Stockyards

Laurel and Flea

Miss Piper