We are the Champions... my friend...

We may not win Most Intricate or Most Artistic... but we WILL WIN something even if we have to go for funny, thought provoking or vulgar. Its just who we are!
*

Some friends of ours had a wonderful pumpkin carvin party last weekend. We entered two pumpkins to improve our odds and walked away with TWO first place pumpkins! We WON two of the categories! Kevin's disgusting (awesome) entry won 1st place for "best use of props and accessories" and mine won for "funniest" (although Kevin insists that he won both and that you could only win one category, so my 2nd place was boosted up to 1st.... I'll let you be the judge....)

*

Here are a few pics of the award winning pumpkins! We did help one another with our ideas so the awards are really "ours." Hope you like them!
(ABOVE) Yes, they made us wear name tags... but it was a fun party anyway. ;-) Check out the gynecological-looking pose I'm in with my mama pumpkin... quite unintentional.

*

(BELOW) Kevin's entry "the Dumpkin" complete with his bumper-dumper (an actual toilet seat that attaches to your trailer hitch so you can feel at home even when you're miles away from civilization... Kevin's prized possession, especially this time of year), TP (Charmin... only the best for my man and his dumpkin), and a lovely specimen on the ground below.

Kevin won a Chia Shrek... and a NICE gift card! I'm hoping to get the Shrek in my Christmas stocking.

Below you'll find my entry "Where do baby pumpkins come from?" Unfortunately she doesn't photograph well, but if you look closely you can see her mascara, painted toenails and even her tears. Oh what we mothers do for our babies..... ;) There are a couple of angles so you can get the full effect.

ABOVE - My prize! And Lisa and Mandy in the background... what tasted to good on that spoon Mandy?

BELOW - Pics of our friends, Brandon and Lisa, who one 1st and 2nd for best overall pumpkins. A couple of true artists! Lisa's on the left and Brandon's on the right. (I realize that you could probably figure out which one of these humans is Lisa and which is Brandon, but I am referring to the pics of their pumpkins below that...) Although I'm EXTREMELY impressed with these FREE HAND carvings (and quite jealous of their prizes), I believe that if you have a degree in art you should disqualify yourself due to having an unfair, God-given advantage. AM I RIGHT?

I know... they are so good! For anyone who loves this stuff like I do, I'm posting some other pumpkins from the party. There were some really good ones.
Brandon at the mic with his guitar.And our lovely hostess Sarah with her yummy jack-o-lantern cake. I didn't get a single pic of her husband Matt. (So sorry!!) But they are the most gracious hosts. Thanks for everything... great fun... great food... great prizes... great cat! (sort of)

Here is a pic of their cat. An explanation will follow... promise.

And a couple of grown men on a bounce house slide...

Oh Re-gis Tree... Oh Re-gis Tree...

23 weeks, 4 days. Our baby girl will be here in about 3.5 months and we've been encouraged (nagged) by some friends and loved ones to get started on some of the important decision making that comes with preparing for a child..... like picking out which Boppy cover we are going to need. Ok not really that, but there are things we agree that we probably need to start deciding, like getting a carseat, baby monitor and other... serious... parental... responsibility-ish things. (scary)

So, we visited the new baby store that just opened near our house and just got down to business. We should have known it would get interesting when Kevin and I couldn't even choose a password that we would need to access our online registry... This is the stuff other people get so excited about? I have dreaded it for months! Oh the STRESS! I know we need to make decisions, and I know that registering for gifts is the socially appropriate thing to do in this country, but I HATE IT!! Mostly because I have to make lots-n-lots-n-lots of decisions.... about material things that shouldn't matter much.... in a very short time...... and I know NOTHING about any of it!! I've never done this!! Kevin and I feel the same about this issue... you should have been a fly on the wall the day we went to look at placemats and China patterns before we got married!

So we finally picked an online password, took a deep breath and got our stun-gun. We immediately got a little (A LOT) overwhelmed and we stood in the aisle together and I had tears that were ready to spill over. I don't know what I'm doing.... we can't make any decisions.... we don't even know how to begin this process... how am I ever going to be a good mother?!?! So what do the Curley's do when faced with frustration, fear or insecurity?????? Register for approximately 200 large jars of Budreaux's Butt Paste, roughly 100 small tubes of the Butt Paste, and a few of anything else in the store that has the word "BUTT" on the label. We also registered for a few dozen large bottles of baby oil that we can use for Curley Family Baby Oil Wrestling Night. And Kevin registered for a bottle of Mr. Bubble - Bubble Bath for himself. He loves a good bubble bath!

After we let off a little steam on the butt paste/baby oil aisle, we decided to get serious. We did even make some mature decisions about a few items. We "test drove" some strollers, and Kevin made the determination that "there is not even question" as to the superior quality of the one we chose, and basically he now believes that anyone that would choose a different baby stroller, OBVIOUSLY didn't experience "ours." Why does any other stroller even exist? Who would dream of choosing something else?? I'm so sorry for anyone who has one of these other pathetically inferior strollers.....

But please don't put us in the shouldn't-be-allowed-to-procreate category yet. We got started making some of these important (and some NOT so important) decisions. Fun is different for everyone and we just had to make it fun for us. We are less intimidated now, and we think we can take it a little more seriously. We think....

After that, we spent a while picking out pumpkins of the PERFECT size and shape for this Saturday's pumpkin carving contest. We have two exciting entries in store, and of course I will be sharing some pics.

Later!

I was wondering why the baseball was getting bigger...

...And then it hit me.

I can't tell you how D-U-M-B dumb I feel lately. If I've talked with you recently, you've heard me lamenting over this ridiculous phenomenon called BABY BRAIN! I had enough shortcomings in the organizational arena... but I try really hard to stay organized at home and at work. It comes easily for some people, but I have to work at it, and usually do a pretty good job for someone who is SO challenged in that way. But lately, I'm embarrassed ALL the time about the really important things I miss or dumb things I do. I don't even want to elaborate. Everyone excuses it, but it doesn't make it better. I don't want an excuse! I want it to stop! To everyone that this has affected.....PLEASE FORGIVE ME! And no one needs to worry.... I've not been doing ANY shifts in ICU lately, and won't until I'm sure this is gone and I have a brain cell back.

This weather we are having in North Texas... makes me want to quit all my jobs and become a professional ourdoorswoman. I would do ANYTHING as long as it is outside. I don't dare say it too loud, because I know Mother Nature will hear me and change things up for us... she doesn't want us to get bored with perfection.

I've been thinking about a few things I miss... there are not many, and of course I know that our Little Curley is WELL worth it, but the weather really makes me thoughtful about all the meaningless things I used to find pleasure in. So, here you go!

1. High mercury fish - of course all my favorite kinds of fish (and I LOVE me some fish) are the bad kind... I can't wait for a big juicy piece of swordfish.... or shark steak.... or tuna steak!

2. Double shot lattes - of course I love Starbucks as they have perfected the latte - hot or iced. But I love any non-fat latte with LOTS of espresso and no nasty syrup or flavors -- except for the holiday flavors at Starbucks... oh how I am missing them already. (A quick shout out to that Baylor University coffee shop - I think it was called Common Grounds? -- great iced beverages -- they used crushed ice, not arbitrarily crushed, but perfectly flaked or shaved or chipped or something -- one of my favorite things about visiting my Baylor friends)

3. REDWINE REDWINE REDWINE - At first I would get jealous if Kevin would drink it in front of me, but now I just grab his glass and stick my nose right in it and give it a goooood looooong sniff.

4. Skiing, roller coasters and trampoline jumping - These are not really every day occurrences for me, but they are things I've always taken for granted that I can just do when I want! Skiing, my favorite hobby/sport, will have to wait til next season... which will make our little girl almost a year old and the PERFECT age to go on her first airplane ride. :) I'll be sure to let you know about our plane reservations so you can AVOID air travel that day. But can you just imagine how cute she will be toddling around in the snow!!!!! Roller coasters - Kevin already causes me enough grief when it comes to this... all the complaining about the bruised knees because his legs are too long to fit in the little cars... and about the whip lash because his head often comes above the head rest. But sometimes he would go with me anyway. Not this year! And trampolines - I just liked knowing that if I saw one, I could jump. My mom is anti-trampoline. Something about not wanting us to break our necks or crack our heads open. And so we were never allowed to have one. I would always take any chance I could get to jump on the trampolines of my friends and cousins who's parents didn't love them as much. And still do.... until this year.

Pregnancy is so restrictive!!

*Be back soon! I have knitting updates! I learned to purl!
(Thanks to Amanda for the correct spelling)

Big Belly Chronicles - Volume 22w

Today I am 22 weeks. Our little girl has had a pretty strict sleep/wake schedule in the womb... but now her new schedule is AWAKE... All the time! She wiggles and moves and flips and turns and kicks and punches ALL DAY LONG! It is fun, but sometimes I truly can't concentrate on what I am trying to do because she is so full of vigor. On our last sonogram this past week, instead of standing straight up bouncing on my bladder, she was upside down with her hands above her head so she could punch it! :) I have decided not to complain about this at all, however distracting. It is a fun signal to us that our little one is healthy.

Last week, this pic was taken at the end of the day after working for 12-ish hours. I was 21 weeks 3 days, and my arms and face certainly look pregnant, but my tummy is pitiful looking isn't it? Kevin keeps saying "when are you going to start looking pregnant?" I have one shirt that really accentuates it... but mostly I just look chubby like in this pic. And I don't know why I'm grinning like an idiot. I felt very self-conscious while having this picture taken! These are the famous garments.... my maternity scrubs. I'd like to say that I'm still as excited about them as I was... but I'm aggravated because they still don't fit yet! I have to pinch up about 2 inches of them and rig them with giant binder clips to keep them form falling down. ( I need some of those giant diaper pins, but I don't have any... safety pins didn't do it) Every time I squat or bend over very far at work, the clips pop open and I have to step out of the room to hitch them up again. A little embarrassing.

To add to the disappointment of not looking "pregnant enough" yet, today I had to say goodbye to some old, fabulous friends.... Donald and Michael just to name a couple. For the last couple of weeks, each time I put on a cute pair of shoes, my knees and ankles feel wobbly and weak and get very sore. So today, after it took Kevin and I 10 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the church due to my fear of falling and breaking my leg or my neck, I decided it was time to give it up. Its been my favorite thing about having a really tall husband. I can wear the highest heels in the store and he still towers above me. But alas, for the next 4 months I guess I'll be wearing flip flops, since that's all I have that aren't REALLY high heels. Here are just a few of my old faithfuls. (Notice the ones I wore this morning to aerate the grass outside the church.)

Farewell for now, but not forever...

Oh what a night...

We are thinking of getting a new desk for our home office so we have been cleaning and organizing the room and filing away all of my "really important stuff" that I keep in lovely piles all over the office for later filing and organizing. (I inherited this trait... my grandpa and my dad were both pilots... and "pile-its" as my mom affectionately calls them) It is a tradition in our home that when we move or paint or re-organize that we order pizza for dinner... so last night we did. Don't worry, the story gets a little better...

*

For a few weeks I have been experiencing some pretty severe "round ligament pains" which feels a little bit like someone stabbing me repeatedly in the pelvis with an ice pick. FUN. Apparently these can be a little worse for women who have to stand all day at work, which I often do. So I asked my doctor for some advice and she recommended a lovely support garment that should help with this and so I ordered some online this week. They are made by this awesome company many of you girls know... so I am excited to see how they work. Hang in there... the story will all come together very soon...

*

So last night, the pizza delivery guy rings the doorbell and as Kevin bends over to pick up a box that has arrived on our porch, Mr. Pizza gives Kevin a really strange look. Because I told Kevin what I had ordered, he thought nothing of it as he picked it up and put it under his arm in order to take the pizza from the delivery guy, who would no longer make eye contact with him and stuttered a little when Kevin said "Hi there! How are you?"

*

When Kevin got in the house with everything, he discovered that the winking, half-dressed girl on the SPANX box might have had something to do with the pizza man treating him like Pervie Perverson! Mr. Pizza's wife probably never had round ligament pains or jiggly thighs, so he didn't realize that SPANX are the greatest invention in the history of women's clothing! He probably just thinks my husband orders pizza and creepy adult products for a Saturday night of wild entertainment. :(
*

I asked Kevin to make a creepy pervie face while holding the box so I could take a picture. I am glad to know he can't do this. He looks like he just smelled a dirty diaper.

*

Here is what I got though! Power Mamas!! They are bizarre looking, but I can't wait to see if they help. Just as with everything, they seem way too big and weird right now but I'm guessing in a few weeks (or maybe days) I will be filling them out nicely and really appreciating the "pregnancy panel for underbelly support" and the "sheer tummy panel that grows with your belly!"
*
I'm 21 weeks today. Two days out of the last 7 I have felt icky and puked. The rest of the time I have felt great (except for the occasional ice pick to the abdomen sensation). I have made quite a bit of progress on my scarf too! I have done a little bit every day this week, and then "watched" SNL while knitting! It will go all the way around my neck now. To top off our wild Saturday night of cleaning, filing, organizing, pizza, Spanx, Saturday Night Live watching and knitting.... at about 2:00 am, Kevin vacuumed the ceiling fan in our bedroom while I dusted and then changed the dusty sheets. Baby girl does not know what kind of a party lifestyle she is in for at the Curley house!

my baby daddy

OCTOBER! I love it so much!! I love October, November and December because of the holiday season. I love January, February and March because of ski season. I love April because it is springtime and not too hot to be outside all day. I LOVE May, because it is my birthday month and I celebrate ALL MONTH LONG. I love June, July and August because I love hot weather (as long as there is a pool or an ocean nearby... I really enjoy laying in the water and doing nothing). And I love September because I LOVE school supplies... especially new pencils, glue and construction paper! So.... I'm pretty happy all year long... but October is always SO exciting to me! (The real secret.... I love Halloween... costumes, candy, parties, pumpkins and I love orange and black! It's hard for an Aggie to wear orange, so I cherish October for giving me an excuse) OK.... enough!

*

Today I am 20 weeks, 3 days. Just keeping you all up to date. I thought I would share a few pics of my baby daddy! How do you think he looks? He’s getting better and more confident with his baby holding skills all the time. Kevin may correct me, but I believe Baby Kinley (Keith and Loree’s) was the first baby he had EVER held (since I’ve known him anyway) and that wasn’t all too long ago…. She was born last October. When she was born, we visited our friends in the hospital and he mustered up the courage and took the “hand off” from me. I remember that he looked afraid she might jump right out of her blanket and bite him. When she didn’t… I guess he decided he liked babies after all, so thanks Kinley! Our little Curley Girl thanks you too! See a picture of him holding her for the umpteenth time… He's a pro now! (Forgive the weird psycho looking pic though... he didn't look this scary in real life... they were really having a good time!)

Here is a better one of the two of them!

Look how cute he is with these other baby girls! My how far we have come in a year!

Baby Piper (Billy and Cassie’s), Baby Anna (Amber and Joe’s)…

*

For fun I'll throw in a few other baby girls.... Baby Alley, Baby Beans and Baby Laurel. (Alley and Laurel are 2 of my parents' guide dog puppies) I think he’s a natural. Here he is holding his cousin Baby Jaxon (Thomas and Leslie’s) just a couple of weeks ago… He looks pretty good with baby boys too… Can you tell he is starting to ENJOY it? He is going to be such a good dad! Just wanted to pay tribute to Kevin's mad baby-handling skills, in case any of you were worried. I love this man more every minute!!