Back in action babbbyy!

Yay! We got a laptop! (actually a laptop and a netbook thanks to an amazing deal :) ) So I will hopefully be posting alot more soon! Hows everyone been? Im still trying to raise money for March for Babies, come by and donate a buck or two please :)

www.marchforbabies.org/ajsmommy

March for Babies

March for Babies is a cause near and dear to my heart. As some of you may or may not know, AJ was born nearly 6 weeks early. Due to his underdevelopment, he was in the NICU for 2 LONG weeks, including Christmas. It was one of, if not the worst time of my life.

The people at March for Babies want to help babies like AJ grow to be big strong superheroes. Wont you help them?

Come down and spend the day with us, walk, jog, play on the beach or just root us on. If you cant make it, can you spare a buck or two to the cause? Thanks everyone!

If you want to join us, contact me and Ill help set you up on our team!

The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.


www.marchforbabies.org/kcastain

The Evolution of Sharkboy

As mentioned in my previous post, we now refer to AJ as "Sharkboy". This started when one fine day "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl" was on tv. AJ was sooooo entrapped in this stupid movie he asked for it again and again. I searched high and low for it and could not find it anywhere. Lo and behold the library had a copy! So we borrowed it and he watched and watched and watched it over.andover.andoveragain. Now, he walks around as Sharkboy, and we cant refer to him any other way. Lord help me lol.

I guess there are worse things in life! LOL

Contractions. Yuck!

I am hurting today. Last night hubs and I watched a movie. Diva was kicking all around (probably freezing her toosh off, I had a slurpee an ice cream bar and a frozen fruit bar in the course of an hour) and everything was fine. Then I started getting some back pain and cramping. Nothing major, just uncomfy. Took a terbutaline, went to bed and slept like crap with the exception of my dream about Britney Spears (WTF pregnancy dreams?! lol). This am got up, got sharkboy (AJ) ready for pop-pop to pick him up and took a shower. Now, showers are becoming difficult for me. If Im in longer then 5 minutes I usually start feeling very weak and dizzy/lightheaded. I think its an issue with my blood pressure. Its normally low, and diva is making it lower through this pregnancy. I go see Dr. E tomo, so well see what she says. I have a feeling Im going to have to get some cardio tests done because sometimes when I have these issues I either start to or completely black out. Not good. ANYWAY, back to today. Once in the shower the pain got worse. Its contractions in my back and my belly. Im just trying to make it through today with lots of water and terb and go see Dr E. tomo. We shall see! In the meantime, wish me luck please. Im only 21 weeks and this diva needs to bake! (hopefully longer then her brother!)

My Bucket List (more to be added!)

So here is my "Bucket List". Well so far. I have lots that I want to do... I took some ideas from some of my favorite bloggers too :)

1- Go back to school
2- Have a third child (although I may change my mind after being a mommy of 2!)
3- Kiss hubs in the rain :)- DONE!
4- Buy our own house. With a bedroom for each of our babies, a wraparound porch with a rocking chair and swing and a princess room :) (You know those corner rooms that look like they belong in a castle.)
5- Make a scrapbook for each of my kids and one for hubs and me
6- Visit Australia
7- Visit Italy
8- Visit Hawaii
9- Visit Egypt
10-Drive cross country. (Though I dont think I could handle this, wed drive each other crazy haha)
11-Swim with dolphins
12-Go to Atlantis (in the Bahamas) and go through that water slide that goes through the shark tank (eek!)
13-Take the shark dive at the aquarium (bigger eek!)
14-Get into great shape!
15-See the Vatican


Thats all I got for now.. Ill be adding more. Link me to yours!

Im an idiot!

I deleted my button that Yaya made for me :( UGHHHH. Shes so busy with her adoption I dont want to ask her right now. Can anyone help me out with a button? Pwetty pweaaase? Ive tried to make my own but it didnt work out too well lol. So anyone, anyone?? lol

Thanks guys :)

And welcome to my new ff followers! Thanks!

**EDIT** Actually, if someone could totally help me redo my blog it would be awesome!

The Bucket List..

Ive decided to make a bucket list. You know, a list of things I want to do before I die. Im gonna get on mine, wont you join me? Link em up here!

I'm-a-shoppin!

For a new laptop. Any reccs? Trying to stay under $600 if poss. (Thank you IRS!) haha. So, the last 2-3 weeks has been hecticly hell lol. Hubs went into the ER on 1/31 with bad stomach/chest/back pains. Turns out it was his gall bladder. Well when he first went in they did an EKG and it came back a bit abnormal. So to be safe, they did a whole slew of tests to make sure that his heart was ok for surgery. That prolonged the visit and he finally got the surgery Tues night and was released Wed. All the while he couldnt eat, drink or even chew ice chips. I felt so bad and I was so worried about him. AJ kept thinking he was never coming home and all the while I was stuck working.

So Wed he gets out (of course in the middle of a HUGE winter storm with snow/ice etc etc. Hes fine all day Thurs and Fri. Fri night around 11pm he starts puking. This continues (without exaggeration) every 5 minutes until I FINALLY convince him he has GOT to go back to the ER at about 830 am. Turns out he has SEVERE pancreatitis. Tack on another 5 days in the hosp. When we first went in I was so stressed I was admitted myself for a few hours with contractions. Thank God its all over now and (knock wood) hes much better. ::PHEW::

So thats been my (so called) life. Im glad its all over and I have my hubby back. Who knew I'd miss him so much?? ;)

RIP Laptop

LOL I totally jinxed it. I said in my last post how shot my laptop was. Well it fried. No laptop til tax return time. ((sigh)) lol. oh well, guess well have to find other things to do. My only hope is my uncle, hes going to try and get it fixed for us this weekend. :)

I really need to get my tooshie in gear!

Its been hard for me to post lately. Work has been, well work, and my laptop at home is close to being thrown out the window and/or buried lol. My wonderful son stepped on it, and it cracked in quite a few places. The screen itself is not cracked, but you cant close it and if you try to adjust the screen at all it falls back. So now its at our table with uncomfy chairs that I just cant sit at for longer then 5 minutes. Plus Im still falling asleep pretty early. Cant wait for tax time to get a Netbook! Any recc's in that dept?

Baby "Book" (as AJ has named her - docs are 85% sure its a "her", if it was a boy, his choice was "Finger". He still thinks there are TWO babies in there!) is doing pretty good, although she just is not letting mommy have a break. Last week I was at the doc with contractions. I finally got that under wraps and this morning I blacked out. ::Sigh::, my children are so impatient to meet their mommy and daddy! Im still not feeling 100% right today. Im hoping and praying I dont have to go to the hosp later, and even more so that I dont end up on bedrest (at all but especially) before the hubs goes back to work FT. Come on Spring! haha :) If I make it through the night (::good thoughts please!::) I have an appt at 830 tomo morning with Dr. E (high rish doc).

Im really REALLY going to try and post more. I have so many hopes and aspirations for this blog! LOL. I know Ive said it before, but I AM gonna try! And try to catch up with all of your comings and goings! Stay tuned for a giveaway within the next few days!

Awesome contest!

If youre anything like me, you like to change your blog around, make it look purty, etc etc. Well here is your chance to win an AWESOME header, background and button ($90 value!) from ParaJunkie! Check out her contest here: http://parajunkee.blogspot.com/2009/12/new-year-new-blog-design-contest.html and enter to win! I sure did and I hope and pray I win! LOL

No one entered my giveaway!

No one wants free stuff?!? :(

Enter here.. someone, anyone LOL

http://thisisthestoryofagirlll.blogspot.com/2009/12/postcard-giveaway.html

Postcard Giveaway!!

The lovelies over at have given me the oppurtunity to host a giveaway of their AWESOME postcards!




Im offering one lucky winner 100 of their high quality postcards! While Ive never actually used them myself (although I am receiving 100 for hosting this giveaway) my brother has and they are really nice! He used them for promo stuff with his band, but you can use them for lots of things! Thank yous, invites, save the dates etc etc!

Stats on the giveaway!
Giveaway Prize: 100 Postcards for one (1) winner
Size: 4x6
Paper: 14pt
Cardstock: Gloss
Printing: Full color both sides
Shipping: Winner must pay shipping for cards.


Heres how to win :)

Mandatory entry: (1) Follow my blog
(1) entry: Post how you would use these cards
(3) entries: Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post (link me in your comment)
(2) entries: tweet about this giveaway with a link to this post (link me your twitter account


Good luck! This contest will be open until Tues, Dec 29th at 9pm!

Its been too looooonnngg!

Im sorry it has just been INSANITY at home. AJ had a virus (orginally thought to be Swine Flu ::phew:: it wasnt), been working, the Thanksgiving, etc etc. Buuuut everything is GOOD! Lil bean is baking well (yay!) and other then some exhaustion and nausea (no puking woot!) Im feeling good. I had a HORRIBLE experience at the high risk doctor. I left there in hysterics and thank GOD my ob switched me. Two of the more bigger problems I had there were 1) They wanted to see me ONCE in 8 weeks. Normal, healthy pregnant women are seen more often then that by a regular OB. I was seen every 2 weeks+ with AJ. 2) When I asked for an ulrasound pic (yea, I had to ask!) I was told they didnt print one since I didnt ask on the table (SMH) and that "its just a little grain of rice, no biggie". Um, excuse me? **DISCLAIMER I AM ABOUT TO CURSE LOL** What the FUCK? That "grain of rice" is my child you dumb FUCKFACE! Ugh. Frustration at its greatest.

So anyway, I know some of you lovelies have given me awards and Im sorry I havent gotten to them, but I promise to try and catch up with everything this week! Please bear with me! My old prime blog writing time has been late night but I havent been making it that long! So again, thanks for the patience and I will post more soon! Keep an eye out for the Frugal Christmas post coming soon! (I hope haha) Get me your ideas and I will post them here! (email is kristinsodaro@yahoo.com if you want to send it there!) Love you all!

New Sponser!

UPrinting is now a sponser of Coo-Coo's Ca-Choo! Yay! Cant wait to find out more about their wonderful line of products!

If you would like me to review a product, let me know, I'd be more then happy!

Big announcement!

Ok, so I was all set to write up those posts I promised you on Sunday (?). Then I realized I was a little "off". Hmm. Couldnt be? Well yep! Its true, we are EXPECTING BABY #2! Yayyy! Im not "officially" announcing it until after my doctor appt tomo, but from my calculations, Im about 5ish weeks. So PLEASE prayers for a SMOOTHER pregnancy then AJ's. And no preemie!

Ok so, how have all of you been? Whats new in YOUR lives?

Im WAY behind in my "gratitude challenge". I need to do posts 15-21 eek! Bear with me. This pregnancy is already different then AJs in the aspect of ZERO energy and some nausea bouts lol. So here we go:

Day15:Take the time to focus on yourself. Appreciate and give thanks for your unique personality, skills and talents.

Day16:Stand in front of the mirror for five minutes and focus on at least five things that you love about yourself. Write them down in your journal.
This one is a bit hard. How often do we think were a little too fat, skinny, pale, etc. Ok so my 5 things. Hmm. I love my eyes. I always have. They change color and are enticing (lol). I love my nails. I always bite them, but I have been doing good lately and they look GREAT. (I guess my hormoes kicking in). I love my belly. A week ago I wouldve never said that, but now that I know I have a lil baby in there I do :). Im going to cheat and say #4 is my engagement ring. When hubs & I got engaged, he gave me a ring with a little over a carot diamond. Its over 100 years old. His great great great grandmas. And its sparkly haha. (Like a vampire woot!) Last is my tattoos. I have two (Ill post pics someday haha). One of a cross with angel wings on my lower back which I got in memory of lost loved ones. The other is on my right shoulder of AJs footprint with "Aaron" over it. I love them :)

Day17:Write about something you feel grateful for in your life today.
I am grateful that I am able to conceive a child. As Ive mentioned before, I was told I would not be able to. And here I am! Also, there are so many unfortunate women who cannot. My heart aches for them <3

Day18:For the past three days, you have focused on appreciating what makes you unique. Write about all the things that make you so lovable. Take a moment to appreciate your personal style, talents and charm.
I am a caring, devoted, honest, loveable, trustworthy, giving, dedicated mother, wife, sister, daughter.

Day19:Have confidence in the all the choices you have made today and be grateful for being able to believe in yourself.
<3

Day20:As The Challenge winds down, write a thank you note to yourself. Thank yourself for taking the time to stop and focus on all the little things for which you feel grateful.
Thank you, (me!) for doing this challenge. Give your(my)self a hug and be proud (even though it took me a little longer!)

Day21:Reflect on the 21 days of The Gratitude Challenge and what this process has meant to you.
Ive learned to smile more, thank God for more, and love. Love is all you need :)

ER visit, Christmas & more...

Ok so this week was filled with-HECTICNESS! Hubs had a hospital scare (hes ok now but it drained me like woah. Im trying to play catchup now, but in the meantime, I have a challenge for YOU! I am putting together a "Cheap or Free Christmas Gift Guide". You know, cookie in a jar mix etc etc. I want your ideas. Post them here and I will link back to your blog when I publish my list this week! Lets hear those ideas!

Also, Im putting together a giveaway. I was hoping to do this when I reached 50 followers, but Im feeling generous. Stay tuned for that as well!

Im going to play catch up and read all of your blogs from this weekend. Post coming up later tonight after lil man goes to bed!!

Im stuck!

At 30 followers! Remember Im going to have the giveaway when I reach 50, so spread the word! Also, what do you guys think about another blog party? Want me to do another? Thoughts?

How was everyones Halloween? Ours was busy but fun, Im going to try and post some pics later. Lets see your kids (or yours!) costumes. Parties? Post it!

Catching up...

I was in such a rut last week I appoligize. There was alot going on, and between that and Halloween I was just insane! Im going to try and catch up today though! So here are my gratitude challenges days 11-14 :)

Day 11: Try to see the world through the eyes of a child. Think about the things you take for granted on a daily basis, and then express gratitude for everything down to the basic necessities that sustain your current life.

This one was actually harder then expected. Its sometimes hard to be grateful for the little things in life. Try it out though. Try seeing the world through the eyes of your (or a) child. Try being and caring like a child for one day. Im going to do this tonight!

Day 12: Pick three friends or family members you see regularly. View their actions and gestures through a positive lens,assuming their goodness and witnessing their best intentions.

Day 13: It’s been two weeks since you started The Gratitude Challenge. Write about how The Challenge has changed your perspective thus far.

I have learned to definately appreciate everything in life. Especially the little things. Ive learned to bite my tongue. To spend more time with AJ. To live life to the fullest :)

Day 14: Today, make the effort to live life with a positive outlook. Restrain from criticizing the people around you. Dare to see the glass half full. Listen more than you speak. Give freely of yourself. Practice kindness at every opportunity.


Love. :)

What are YOU grateful for today?

Man I need to vent...

Today is payday! Woot right? WRONG! Even AFTER getting paid I still dont have enough to cover bills, let alone anything extra for me. Ugh. When we were robbed last month, then we had vacation (3 days later) it REALLY put us in the hole. And Im really trying to crawl back out but man, its hard sometimes :(

Ok enough of my pity party Im sorry!!