Update: Hospital Bag Help

As many of you might remember, I posted several weeks ago about needing help with what to pack in my hospital bag...  

 Thank you so much to all of you who offered suggestions and advice... I know that really you just need a few basic things but I wanted to have everything that I might possibly need (if you know me, you shouldn't be surprised that I am being a little ocd about this ha!) 

Anyways, I thought I would do a little update for those of you who may also need a little help on:

"What in the world do I pack!?"

I took all the advice from my friends on here and on my facebook and made one big list... hope you are ready :) 

{of course you might not think you need all of these things... this is just a list of suggestions in no particular order} :) 

"What in the world do I pack!?"

• deodorant
• body wash 
• (I picked out a new body wash at Bath and Body Works to use at the hospital that way every time I use it after that I will remember those special days :)
• body lotion 
• (that matches my body wash)
• shampoo/conditioner
• toothpaste/toothbrush
• hair brush
• hair dryer
• curling iron 
• detangler
• baby powder
• chap-stick
• socks (3 pair)
• ponytail holders
• underware (larger ones, full coverage)
• bras
• nursing tops
• nursing gowns
• clothes for me to wear home 
• (I have some gauchos that I love from Old Navy- non-maternity- that I love and are soo comfie-- I highly recommend them!; and some comfie tops to wear home)
• shoes for me to wear home 
• gown/onesie for baby girl
• coming home outfit for baby 
• (I'm taking 2- I hear to be prepared in case she vomits/diaper explodes on one before you leave; someone also told me I might want 2 diff sizes but I'm don't have 2 diff sizes ha)
• matching hair bows for her coming home outfit
• my planner
• cell phone/charger
• camera/ charger/ card reader
• flip video
• (or other video recorder- this one is just so handy and super easy to use!)
• extra batteries 
• (I like the lithium ones- they seem to last the longest) for video/cameras
• books 
• (someone suggested this but I don't read that much-- I might bring something anyways just in case)
• names of people to call 
• list of "must have pics" for the first day
• snacks 
• (a friend of mine said she baked muffins and took them to the hospital and she said that she couldn't even describe how great it was to have homemade food there... I might would ask someone to bring those for me after I get there)
• folder 
• (I love all things school-supplies haha so this was easy for me!  I picked up a new folder to have to bring all of my hospital doc's home with me so they are organized and thus less likely for me to lose them ha)
• bedroom shoes
• exercise ball 
• (some hospitals might have them but I hear these are great for when you are in labor-- our birthing class even suggested we bring one)
• Bath and Body wallflower aka plug-in air freshner 
• (again in a soothing scent-- this idea was from a blog I read- she said it was so nice to be in a room that smelled nice and didn't smell like a hospital.  She said that even all of her nurses loved the idea and gave her lots of compliments-- I chose vanilla lavender mmm!)
• pillows 
• (I was told to bring 2 or 3 for me and to have hubby bring his pillows too because apparently pillows are hard to come by in most hospitals)
• hubby's swimsuit 
• (so that he can help me in the shower even if the nurses are around)
• makeup (yes, I plan on using it!)
• a button down shirt of hub's to wear 
• (easy to nurse in and way better than a hospital gown)
• face wipes 
• (the wal-mart brand is just as good or better than any I have tried... I swear by them!)
• mints/ Listerine strips 
• playing cards 
• (a friend who was stuck in the hospital for 5 days said these saved her life ha)
• laptop/charger
• car seat
• nursing pillow
• (boppy or my breast friend -- I think I am going with the my breast friend)

Items I didn't include:

• breast pump
• nursing supplies (the hospital should provide you with breast pads, etc)
• pads (again hosp. should provide)
• ipod docking station (I am just going to use my phone speakers most likely- or the computer)

is there anything that you can think of that I might have somehow missed?! Leave me a comment and let me know and I will keep this list updates! Good luck to all of you and as most of you know, I can't tell you if this was a good list or not year because I still haven't had this sweet girl!!!!! :-P hehe

 

Erin Condren Planner SALE!!! HURRY!!

So as ya'll saw, I was eying the Life Planner by Erin Condren.... but I was worried about the price of it at $50.

WELL... here is the GREAT news!! Plum District is offering a deal where you can get $50 dollars worth of Erin Condren goodies for only $25 dollars... (thank you to The Blue-Eyed Bride for the heads up)
oh but wait! There is MORE... there is also a coupon code that Elizabeth from A Wedding Story posted for $5 off that- just enter "inwithnew"! Making the deal $20 dollars for $50 dollars worth of goodies!! 
So for just $20 dollars you can have one of the Life Planners! um... YES, PLEASE!

Here are just a few things that I am obsessing over... besides the Life Planner (duh!) that I WILL be purchasing-- hopefully custom with one of our maternity pics ?? maybe?!!

cute gift tags for any occasion

address labels (perfect since we just moved and my old stamp is no good :( )

growth chart- Would be so cute for Raleigh Grace!

and there are so so many other cute things, I could go on forever! They have cute notecards, ipad covers, and much more! you NEED to go check out her site! and if I were going to be teaching this next year, you bet I would buy one of her awesome Teacher Planners... maybe another year :)


So hurry over to Plum District before this deal  is GONE! You can find it here!!

(ps I just created a Plum District account today, its totally free and only took me 2 seconds... its much like Groupon if you are familiar with that)

Planners, Agendas, Oh My!

****update: check here****

As many of you know, a few months ago I blogged about needing a new planner for the upcoming "year".... you can read about it here.  


Well as I have searched high and low I have found many that I "like" and that I'm sure "would do" but I have found 2 that I really just love.  


Now, here they are for you to review.  


1) www.ErinCondran.com 
this lady knows how to make a planner cute and functional! In fact, I read about her "Life Planners" last year on a blog but by the time I got to her website they were sold out... so needless to say, here I am a year later, and I have been longing for the new 2011-2012 life planner to come out.  Well, I got the email today confirming they are online NOW!  
instead of posing 98982345 amazing pictures, watch this fun video of how awesome these babies are!

price: 50 dollars plus approx 10 dollars shipping...
coupon: 10 dollars off for first time buyers (ME!) using code Welcome10
total price: approx $50


2) the Mom Agenda
this thing also looks amazing but sad thing is, I haven't been eying it for the past year so I'm not as much in love with it ... yet.  But it is rather amazing.  It is about the same size as the Life Planner and has a lot of the same features with a different look (maybe even a little more sophisticated?) ... granted it has space for up to 4 kids and well, lets be honest, I am still cookin my first one ;) ha  
Check it out too and give it a fair chance... here are a few of the different ones they offer... all of them come in different colors. 

MomAgenda Crocodile Desktop

MomAgenda Desktop

Home Office Edition

price: $46, $43, & $32.95 (respectively)
coupon: Save $10 off $75+ dollar purchase (code: MOM10OFF75) (thru 7.31)
or save 10% off $65+ purchase (code: MOM10OFF65) (thru 7.31)
but lets be honest... I'm only ordering one of these babies so I probably won't be able to use the coupon :(
shipping/tax: approx $10
Total price:  $42-$56 


Now... how many of you think I'm nuts for wanting to spend this much on a planner? Its okay... I think I am a little nuts too but I have to admit, I LOVE them! ha




A great blog friend, Mallorie showed me these super cute ones that she just loves from Wal-Mart and they are WAY more reasonably priced ($17!!) but they are sold out! ugh! :( 

If you had to pick one of the first two, which one would you get? What about if they were both free? (don't tell me you would get both, just pick one and stop trying to be difficult ;) hehe) ...


So, the ball is in your court... let me know how you really feel.... ready, GO! :) 

are you a planner?

(for some reason this didn't post yesterday so now its a day late, oh well...)
This school year has abruptly come to an end.  I said goodbye to my kiddos yesterday and my friends today.  Now summmeeer time!!

The planner that I have been using for the past year has been the Baylor Student planner... for several reasons:
1. yes, I love baylor that much!! Sic em!!
2. i think it was only around $6 or $8 dollars.
and last
3. because I was teaching I wanted a "academic calendar"versus a traditional calendar.

I have loooved my super dooper awesome baylor planner but I think now that I am entering into the life of mommy-hood I want a little something more. So here is where I need your help....

(this is a joke... I can't imagine carrying this around!)

I know that many of you are more of a "planner" than I could ever be (insert jealousy...) and you probably have a WAY cool planner that you use to keep your life organized so I'm asking that you SHARE with me what planner you have or wish you had... no few limits here because I have no idea what I'm even looking for!(not too small, not too large-- something I can throw in the purse or diaper bag when I'm on the go!)

I do know that I don't want something as small as this one... I have way too much going on for that cute thing ha

I can't wait to see what you use! :) Please share!! :)

On The Edge of My Seat!

"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies."
Aristotle

Tonight was the perfect ending to an already good weekend. But I'm not going to go on and spoil all of the fun until I catch you up on yesterday's events. {Which were few and far between but I am still reporting!}
Friday night was an attempt to go to bed "early" but that never really works out that well for me. I am a night owl even when I fight my body to the core on this issue! Anyways... I finally made it to bed around 1am I think. I say all of that because Saturday was a fun filled day starting at 7am! Now, I understand some of you think this is normal but I will go ahead and warn you not to tell me that because I do not like how you think, nor do I think like you! Isn't that the beauty of us all being "different"! ha! So 7 am bright and early, I get ready and leave for our premarital counseling. I had high hopes for the day and was definitely not let down. We had a fun time spending the day together and learning some new things, but really didn't discover anything new about one another so I think that says a lot and also reassures me that we are ready and prepared for this. The day was a little long for Karl because he got really sick Friday night (and still isn't feeling 100% so we covet your prayers) but he was beyond a trooper and stayed more involved than I expected.
So you all know the excitement I have had around my ring right?? And how I have been anxiously awaiting its arrival, to see it for the first time since creation... well I was really hoping that it would come Friday but it didn't show. I had a feeling that it would most likely come on Saturday, which is amazing, BUT I wasn't home all day saturday! So KJ checks the mail when we get home Sat night and sure enough... in the mailbox... was a tan slip of paper saying that I had a package to pick up at the post office. GRRR! I wish I could adequately explain to you my excitement followed by quick disappointment-- we learned in premarital counseling that it is impossible for your brain to have 2 different emotions at the exact same time, but I assure you, if it were possible, this would have been the time it happened! To me they seemed to occur simultaneously. I have been on the edge of my seat all weekend anxiously awaiting a Monday morning more than I ever have in my life, only to make an enjoyable trip to the P.O. ha! Might sound silly but seriously I am SO excited to see it. My sweet aunt who inspected it when it was complete says it is beautiful and I'm sure she wouldn't lie to me ;) (right? ha)!
Yesterday was a long day for the 2 of us, lasting until a little past 5pm (the class that is). We came home and decided that there would be nothing better than relaxing on the couch and watching a movie. We also tried to finish up some more of the marriage details but were both too tired to even slightly function.
Today has been very exciting as well... started out by sleeping in (wahoo!) and then having a nice homemade lunch and heading out to Plano to check out some of the hotels and restaurants for our Marriage night activities! It was a little stressful and didnt feel very productive at the time but looking back it was. We came home, relaxed, de-stressed, and then got ready for church at The Village -- Josh Patterson spoke on 2 Corinthians 5:1-10. Let me just go ahead and put it out there... if you have any intention of listening to this, be VERY prepared to be blown away!! It was good stuff- but then again, it always is! Gotta love me some Jesus, and the truth being spoken by the pastors at this wonderful place!! (check it out by clicking the link and going to sermon archive for 8-22-09) So yea. That was followed by ... drum roll please... Rosa's ... such a shocker, I know. It seems we always go there... its just a wonderful place late at night for a big group. Good ol fellowship with friends... wonderful! As if today couldnt have been a good enough day at that point the FI and I came home and discussed more plans (hotel and dinner mainly) and finally BOOKED a hotel! It happened to be one we looked at and walked around in today. All in all, so happy everything is continuing to come together!! Counting down the days till I am his wife... :-D Giddy!

One Week from Today!

I should have blogged 2 days ago but my busyness/laziness got the best of me again! I booked a date for our marriage and I could not be more thrilled. I have to admit it was quite a rush of feelings that came over me all at once. I wanted to be with Karl to enjoy the rush but he wasn't within arms reach because hes working his last week as the High Adventure Director. Thoughts like rings, vows, clothing, pictures, and all sorts of things flooded my brain and for some odd reason I thought that I need to have everything done right that minute-- but thankfully others reminded me that I have time-thank you for that!
An exciting piece of news from today- my grandma finally got out of ICU after being there since last Tuesday- so that's a huge PRAISE GOD! :) She still needs lots of prayers! Also, please keep in your prayers the family of Ernie Meyer who lost his year long battle with cancer and brain tumors earlier this week. He left behind a wonderful family who I am sure would absolutely covet your prayers!
Today, Karl took his kids backpacking; luckily they got there safe and once he climbed to the top of a cliff he had enough service to call me and chat for a little while. Made my day!
By the way I am sooo looking forward to Karl & I starting our life TOGETHER! So far we have spent as much time together as we can but I absolutely hate telling the love of my life goodbye. Thankfully, that will end in ONE WEEK! from today. YAY!