One Year Ago Today (Part II)...

I woke up feeling as good as a 41 week pregnant woman could feel. The previous nights rest was peaceful and I was making plans to head back for another acupuncture appointment. At my husband's urging, I stopped by my doctor's to be examined...just in case. He was noticing that my stomach was doing "strange" things...

The nurse practitioner could not believe how calm I was because she said that I was between 4 - 5 cm open, over 80% thinned, and in active labor. She wanted me to head immediately over to the hospital and check in. That plan was a big no-go for me because I wasn't ready...no hospital bag and my husband was at work in a meeting...so I made a deal that I would go right home, get packed and return with Brad within the hour. Well, as I was driving home, Kyla's preschool called to report that she is sick. So, I made a detour to pick her up. No one could believe that I was in active labor because I was smiling and laughing! I just kept telling them how wonderful HypnoBirthing is.

Here are the two posts that I made that day. One before I headed to the hospital and the other later in the day.

And these were a couple of the photos from that day...

This first one is of me snuggling on the couch with my sick preschooler.



Sorry that it is blurry. My husband was so nervous. He wanted me to be in the hospital already. Had visions on having to deliver Bryleigh in the garden tub in our bathroom!

This one is of me smiling while filling out all of the necessary paperwork.



I think it took almost 15 minutes to complete everything...and that was after I had preregistered the month before!

This last photo is not the best shot of me. It was taken late in the evening. I was starving and begging for food, but all I got was a cup of ice chips and the tiny bites of contraband food that my family covertly passed my way when the hospital staff was out of the room.



I told all that my stomach was huge!

Come back again tomorrow for another flashback in celebration of Bryleigh's 1st Birthday!

One Year Ago Today (Part I)...

I was a week overdue and at odds with my doctors & the hospital. They kept scheduling inductions and I kept cancelling them. To keep from having them force the issue, I went to see a local acupuncturist. After 20 minutes of soothing relaxation, he sent me on my merry way with the instruction to come back the next afternoon if I wasn't in labor. Little did I know at the time, but his tiny needles had worked their magic...

Hard to believe, but at this same time last year, I was in labor and didn't even know it. Miss Bryleigh Eden was beginning her almost 3-day labor and delivery journey. Where has the time gone?

Enjoy this post from last year and come back tomorrow for the next post in celebration of Miss Bry's 1st Birthday!!! I cannot believe that my baby is going to be a year old!









Can you believe how big my baby belly was!!! I look massive!!!

Wordless Wednesday - Cleopatra And The Lion

Head over here for more Wordless Wednesday entries.

More Election Day Fun - Blogthings Quiz

Found this quiz while checking my e-mail. It claims to be able to tell me who I voted for. So, I accepted the challenge and this is my results...

We Can't Predict Who You Voted For

According to our quiz, there's a 40% chance you voted for Obama. But that means there's an 60% chance you voted for McCain. You aren't very typical. You tend to be independent, and your vote is highly coveted. While we can't predict how you voted, there's a good chance you voted for the winner!

Did You Vote for Obama or McCain?

Pretty interesting. Let me know if any of you decide to take that test and what your results are.

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday - Free Starbucks Coffee

In honor of this Election Day, I decided to post a freebie tip instead of a recipe.



After you perform your civic duty and vote today, stop by your local Starbucks Coffee Shop and see if they are participating in the Free Tall Brewed Coffee To All Voters Promotion.



I am so glad that I decided to wait until today instead of standing in line for over 3 1/2 hours (like my husband) to participate in Early Vote. All he got was sunburned and sore feet...and I get a Free Tall Brewed Coffee!!! Guess it does pay to vote, doesn't it!

And if you want to see other Tempt My Tummy Tuesday post, head over to Blessed With Grace...

I Just Love Being...

a Florida Gator!











Take that all you Georgia Bulldogs! 49 - 10...that has got to hurt!

We have taken over control of the SEC East and are one step closer to being #1 in the Nation!!!



As an extra bonus, all of the Gator Nation gets an extra hour to sleep off the celebration from "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party"!

Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour...



and enjoy the extra sleep!

Wordless Wednesday - I May Not Have Given Birth To Every One Of Them...

but they are my babies!





















Aren't they beautiful?

(Sorry...I know it is suppose to be wordless, but how can I be wordless about them? They make me so proud)

Want to see other Wordless Wednesday photos?

Philadelphia is called...

the "City Of Brotherly Love". If this is the case, why did they give away the Tampa Bay Ray's hotel rooms and force them to move to a hotel in Delaware, about 25 miles from the ball park? It was noted well before the team checked out of their hotel rooms that the game may be postponed due to inclement weather...just like it had been delayed the night before.



Are they just scared that the Last To First Players will take the Series?

The sad part is that Tampa was expecting something like this. After all, this is the very same city that made the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sit in their plane on the runway for over 3 hours after they beat the Eagles.

Maybe the city should be re-named "The City Of Sour Grapes".

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday - Sunshine Cake

Have you ever had this yummy, yummy cake? I have and let me just tell you that it is one of my favorites...but I have never tried to make it myself. Now I just found this recipe and it looks so easy that I might just have to whip one up later today.

Sunshine Cake

Cake

1 (18 1/2 oz) box yellow cake with pudding mix
1/2 cup salad oil
4 eggs
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges, un-drained

Frosting

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, un-drained
1 tablespoon sugar
1 (10 1/2 oz) package of cheesecake filling mix
1 (8 oz) carton sour cream
1 (12 oz) whipped topping, thawed

Preheat oven to 325°.

Combine cake mix, oil, eggs, and oranges; mix at medium speed 1 to 2 minutes until smooth. Spoon into 3 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake for 15—20 minutes or until done.

Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Meanwhile, combine pineapple, sugar, cheesecake filling mix, and sour cream, and stir until thickened. Fold in whipped cream, mix thoroughly. Spread frosting between layers, top, and sides of cake. Garnish top with some mandarin oranges.

Store in refrigerator.

This cake is best made 24 hours in advance.



Hope you all enjoy it as much as I do...

And for more Tempt My Tummy Tuesday recipes, head over to here...

I'm Gonna Have Nightmares Tonight!

'Cause my sister just showed me this.

Can you imagine looking out your window and seeing something like that in your garden?

So, are you gonna have nightmare too?

Gator Football Games In The Swamp Will Never Be The Same...

now that Mr. Two-Bits announced he will retire for a second time at the end of the season!

And in case you have no idea who I am talking about...read this.



I just wanna know if he is going to train a replacement. We cannot have a game without Two-Bits! Granted, it won't be the same as the original, but it will help keep the tradition alive!

Gonna Miss You, Mr. Two-Bits!

Yeah For Sunny, FL!

It has been a great day for Florida Sports!



First the Bucs win!



And now the Rays are going to the World Series!

I love living in Sunny, FL!

Today Is...

My 10th Wedding Anniversary!

Sorry for the lack of posts, but it has been a really crazy week for me. Have several posts started, but ran out of time before I could finish. Even have this really great post about my wonderful "Sexy Beast" of a husband, but sadly I don't even have time to finish that one either!

Why you might ask? Because I have to run out the door and take my girls to my parent's house. Then I need to take my grandmother to her doctor's appointment. After that, we are planning a picnic in the park because the kids are out of school and the weather is just heavenly here in Sunny, FL.

Hope you all have a wonderful day and if you see that handsome devil of a husband of mine...could you tell him how much I love him? That he still makes my heart skip a beat when he looks into my eyes?

What's That Smell?

Could it be the smell of burnt Swamp Tiger?

I think Tim Tebow should be Superman for Halloween, don't you?





Can I hear another round of "It's Great To Be A Florida Gator"!

Update On My Aunt Mary Ann...

It has been over two weeks since I posted an update. I had hoped to have some wonderful news to share. Unfortunately, she is in the hospital and has been there for several days now. There was unexpected bleeding that caused some concern as well as general weakness and nausea from the radiation. She also had talked about some pain that felt like really bad indigestion...and it looks like the radiation might have "burned" her digestive tract.

If you have a moment to spare in your busy lives, could you offer up a prayer of healing for her? I am going to try and call up to the hospital tomorrow and see if I can convince her to let me visit. After talking with my grandmother, I learned that she isn't letting anyone visit.