Sunshine Award!
This blog post brought to you by pregnancy insomnia - not sure I'll ever sleep past 3 am again - but that's ok. As Jimmy Fallon once said about going through infertility and all the trials and tribulations of having a baby - "it's the most worth it thing".
This post is also brought to you by my good friend Stace over at Live, Laugh, Love. First of all Stace is amazing, she has the best, most positive attitude and her and her hubby Scott are the cutest! I am pulling for Team Ricci - 2014 is going to be your year!! It's so funny when I explain my Instagram community and friends I feel like some people look at me like oh, so you troll for friends on the internet like on"To catch a predator" (haha) but I am telling you some of the people I have met through my infertility journey and through this community have become some of my very best friends and my rocks that have gotten me through the past year. I just can't wait to meet some of them this year! :)
So back to the reason for this post - Stace has nominated me for a Sunshine Blogger award. This is an award granted by women in the infertility community to fellow bloggers who bring sunshine and positivity to their lives. When I got the message from Stace the other day I instantly thought how sweet! I have wanted to start a blog for years but I was worried no one would care abut my life or ever read it so to see people actually like checking in and seeing the 50,000 pics I post of my belly and crazy animals humbles me and makes me smile. If I am able to touch just a few people with my blog - it's totally worth the time and effort!
So with the Sunshine award Stace posted a few questions she wanted her nominees to answer to here we go!
1. How/where/when did you and your hubby meet?
Chris and I met in 2000 (holy smokes - 13 years ago - we were just babies!) I was pledging to be a little sister at his fraternity - Theta Tau - at our alma mater Purdue University. It was Halloween - and it's funny I'll have to ask him because I do not remember for the life of me what I was dressed up as but he was dressed - along with his pledge brothers - as women. Tiny black mini skirts, red shirts bedazzled with the word Flirt, fake boobs and the most hideous loafers you have ever seen! We both had had a few adult beverages and I was complaining I was having trouble in calculus and he said he could help and the rest was history!!
2. How did your hubby propose?
I lived in South Bend for a summer and Chris was in Chicago - the summer between my Junior and Senior years at Purdue. I interned as a financial analyst for Honeywell there and they had put us up in housing with the other interns. I came home after work to my roommate rushing out the door with her big German Shepperd acting super weird but didn't think much of it. Got to the top of the stairs and our apartment opened the door to hundreds of candles and rose petals that led back to the back part of the apartment and there was Chris in a suit. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him - so cute and so perfect!
3. What is one of your favorite quotes?
So this seems to change depending on what's going on in my life but honestly right now - it's the line I opened this blog post with from Jimmy Fallon of all people! "It's the most worth it thing". Whenever I think about all the trials and tribulations we have went through, the sleepless mornings I am having now, all the minutes and hours and days spent worrying, everything - and then I think about how much I already love Baby Wik never having seen or held him or her other than inside my belly - I know beyond a shadow of a doubt it is the most worth it thing. So thanks to Jimmy Fallon for speaking out, being open and bringing awareness!
4. Who are some of your favorite musical artists?
Totally hands down O.A.R. I know - old school but Chris and I are total groupies! We've traveled to multiple states - including the craziness of the infield at the Preakness - to see shows from these guys. It's a mandatory date night every year so we are currently accepting applications for a babysitter for this summer's concert at Northerly Island - sometime in June or July. Any takers? We are generally the oldest people at the concert these days - except for cautious parents - but we just don't care. There is just something about live music sung by amazing artists playing real instruments that I cannot get enough of. My musical tastes are all over the board though because I also love Lady GaGa, Britney, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis all the way to Jay-Z, Drake, - all over the board. Basically if it's good to jam to with the windows down in the summer or work up a good sweat at the gym I'm game!
5. Where is your favorite vacation spot?
This is a tough one. My favorite overall vacation spot is Cayman for sure. It's so peaceful and so relaxing! We try to get down there once a year so it almost feels like home to us now! If I had to say what has my favorite vacation been it would be a toss up between Thailand and South Africa. Thailand because of the culture and the fact that it was just so different than the US and South Africa because to this day I am still amazing that I was that close to a pack of lions that had just made a kill, or a cheetah that could have torn us apart, or the momma leopard missing her baby - so so amazing!
6. What are you most looking forward to about being a mommy?
I am most looking forward to teaching our baby about life and love and what living life to the fullest is all about. I can't wait to see their reactions, how they learn, how they grow and how they interact with Chris and I. And most of all - as silly as this sounds - I am looking forward to seeing my husband be a Dad. He's so patient and kind and caring - I can't wait to see the amazing father he is going to be.
7. How many children do you want?
Ideally I would like 2. Always wanted 2. But we have 4 frozen babies - not that I'm thinking we will have 5 - but there may be more than 2 in our future depending on how things go!
8. What 3 foods are your weakness do you crave?
Cake - white cake with white buttercream frosting no doubt. I could not live without this. The second would for sure be Mexican Food. Chris and I literally have eaten it every Friday night for the past 10 years! My mom has teased me that the baby will come out wearing a sombrero haha! And the third is probably peanut butter - I eat it constantly! Peanut butter toast, peanut butter in my oatmeal - but the spoonful - all. the. time.
9. What are your 3 favorite clothing stores?
I LOVE target for clothes - not so much maternity right now because they just don't have that big of a selection in stores - but normally that's where I do most of my shopping. I also love Macy's because I think you can normally get some good deals and they give some great coupons. And pre belly and post baby - I just love Express. I think that they kind of go out there with colors and patterns and their clothes are just so fun!
10. What are some of the best life lessons you've learned?
For sure that you have to cannot worry about everything because it just isn't going to do you any good and it won't get you anywhere. Not to say that I don't worry - I do my fair share of worrying still to this day - but going through the struggles of infertility have taught me to try to focus my worries on only those things that I can control and change - not those that I can't. It's helped me become a more calm and happy person!
So most of my favorite bloggers have already been nominated for an award so rather than pass them more questions I want to just give some shootouts to some of my faves - these girls are all simply amazing, inspirational and I just do not know what I would do without them! (In no particular order)
Allison at Eggs Over Easy
Stace at Live, Laugh, Love
Chelsea at Starbucks, Peace, and the Pursuit of a Baby
Meg at A Brink Adventure
Stay tuned for the Week 28 pictures and 3D ultrasound Baby Wik pics this weekend!
XOXO
K
This post is also brought to you by my good friend Stace over at Live, Laugh, Love. First of all Stace is amazing, she has the best, most positive attitude and her and her hubby Scott are the cutest! I am pulling for Team Ricci - 2014 is going to be your year!! It's so funny when I explain my Instagram community and friends I feel like some people look at me like oh, so you troll for friends on the internet like on"To catch a predator" (haha) but I am telling you some of the people I have met through my infertility journey and through this community have become some of my very best friends and my rocks that have gotten me through the past year. I just can't wait to meet some of them this year! :)
So back to the reason for this post - Stace has nominated me for a Sunshine Blogger award. This is an award granted by women in the infertility community to fellow bloggers who bring sunshine and positivity to their lives. When I got the message from Stace the other day I instantly thought how sweet! I have wanted to start a blog for years but I was worried no one would care abut my life or ever read it so to see people actually like checking in and seeing the 50,000 pics I post of my belly and crazy animals humbles me and makes me smile. If I am able to touch just a few people with my blog - it's totally worth the time and effort!
So with the Sunshine award Stace posted a few questions she wanted her nominees to answer to here we go!
1. How/where/when did you and your hubby meet?
Chris and I met in 2000 (holy smokes - 13 years ago - we were just babies!) I was pledging to be a little sister at his fraternity - Theta Tau - at our alma mater Purdue University. It was Halloween - and it's funny I'll have to ask him because I do not remember for the life of me what I was dressed up as but he was dressed - along with his pledge brothers - as women. Tiny black mini skirts, red shirts bedazzled with the word Flirt, fake boobs and the most hideous loafers you have ever seen! We both had had a few adult beverages and I was complaining I was having trouble in calculus and he said he could help and the rest was history!!
2. How did your hubby propose?
I lived in South Bend for a summer and Chris was in Chicago - the summer between my Junior and Senior years at Purdue. I interned as a financial analyst for Honeywell there and they had put us up in housing with the other interns. I came home after work to my roommate rushing out the door with her big German Shepperd acting super weird but didn't think much of it. Got to the top of the stairs and our apartment opened the door to hundreds of candles and rose petals that led back to the back part of the apartment and there was Chris in a suit. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him - so cute and so perfect!
3. What is one of your favorite quotes?
So this seems to change depending on what's going on in my life but honestly right now - it's the line I opened this blog post with from Jimmy Fallon of all people! "It's the most worth it thing". Whenever I think about all the trials and tribulations we have went through, the sleepless mornings I am having now, all the minutes and hours and days spent worrying, everything - and then I think about how much I already love Baby Wik never having seen or held him or her other than inside my belly - I know beyond a shadow of a doubt it is the most worth it thing. So thanks to Jimmy Fallon for speaking out, being open and bringing awareness!
4. Who are some of your favorite musical artists?
Totally hands down O.A.R. I know - old school but Chris and I are total groupies! We've traveled to multiple states - including the craziness of the infield at the Preakness - to see shows from these guys. It's a mandatory date night every year so we are currently accepting applications for a babysitter for this summer's concert at Northerly Island - sometime in June or July. Any takers? We are generally the oldest people at the concert these days - except for cautious parents - but we just don't care. There is just something about live music sung by amazing artists playing real instruments that I cannot get enough of. My musical tastes are all over the board though because I also love Lady GaGa, Britney, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis all the way to Jay-Z, Drake, - all over the board. Basically if it's good to jam to with the windows down in the summer or work up a good sweat at the gym I'm game!
Me front row at O.A.R. in Indianapolis this summer. Literally never been that close - I so wanted to reach out and touch the sax player Jerry DePizzo!
5. Where is your favorite vacation spot?
This is a tough one. My favorite overall vacation spot is Cayman for sure. It's so peaceful and so relaxing! We try to get down there once a year so it almost feels like home to us now! If I had to say what has my favorite vacation been it would be a toss up between Thailand and South Africa. Thailand because of the culture and the fact that it was just so different than the US and South Africa because to this day I am still amazing that I was that close to a pack of lions that had just made a kill, or a cheetah that could have torn us apart, or the momma leopard missing her baby - so so amazing!
Yes - we were the crazies that got into cages with tigers in Thailand after signing a release form. All in Thai….
Came across a pack of 3 lions who had just made a kill on our last day - it was one of the most amazing experiences ever!
Cayman - pure bliss!
6. What are you most looking forward to about being a mommy?
I am most looking forward to teaching our baby about life and love and what living life to the fullest is all about. I can't wait to see their reactions, how they learn, how they grow and how they interact with Chris and I. And most of all - as silly as this sounds - I am looking forward to seeing my husband be a Dad. He's so patient and kind and caring - I can't wait to see the amazing father he is going to be.
7. How many children do you want?
Ideally I would like 2. Always wanted 2. But we have 4 frozen babies - not that I'm thinking we will have 5 - but there may be more than 2 in our future depending on how things go!
8. What 3 foods are your weakness do you crave?
Cake - white cake with white buttercream frosting no doubt. I could not live without this. The second would for sure be Mexican Food. Chris and I literally have eaten it every Friday night for the past 10 years! My mom has teased me that the baby will come out wearing a sombrero haha! And the third is probably peanut butter - I eat it constantly! Peanut butter toast, peanut butter in my oatmeal - but the spoonful - all. the. time.
9. What are your 3 favorite clothing stores?
I LOVE target for clothes - not so much maternity right now because they just don't have that big of a selection in stores - but normally that's where I do most of my shopping. I also love Macy's because I think you can normally get some good deals and they give some great coupons. And pre belly and post baby - I just love Express. I think that they kind of go out there with colors and patterns and their clothes are just so fun!
10. What are some of the best life lessons you've learned?
For sure that you have to cannot worry about everything because it just isn't going to do you any good and it won't get you anywhere. Not to say that I don't worry - I do my fair share of worrying still to this day - but going through the struggles of infertility have taught me to try to focus my worries on only those things that I can control and change - not those that I can't. It's helped me become a more calm and happy person!
So most of my favorite bloggers have already been nominated for an award so rather than pass them more questions I want to just give some shootouts to some of my faves - these girls are all simply amazing, inspirational and I just do not know what I would do without them! (In no particular order)
Allison at Eggs Over Easy
Stace at Live, Laugh, Love
Chelsea at Starbucks, Peace, and the Pursuit of a Baby
Meg at A Brink Adventure
Stay tuned for the Week 28 pictures and 3D ultrasound Baby Wik pics this weekend!
XOXO
K
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