32 Week Bumpdate

Unlike the last bumpdate, I don't have very much exciting news to report from my doctor's appointment yesterday. Things are progressing just as they should and my blood pressure has continued to remain at a normal level. Aside from getting my stork pass for parking, that's pretty much all the appointment consisted of.

At this point I'm weighing in at a whopping 155 pounds. That's just over a 30 pound weight gain. I'm pretty sure I've gained more than I'm supposed to, but I really can't fight my dessert cravings. I've been lucky to avoid any stretch marks up until this point. My maternity clothes seems to annoy me lately, so I've been sticking to dresses or yoga pants with tank tops.

This week, my little one is about the size of a summer squash. She should be around 3.75 pounds and just under 17 inches long. According to my pregnancy app, Juliana now has finger and toe nails along with hair.

Baby J has been extremely active lately. Instead of kicking mostly at bedtime, I've begun to notice her movements more when I'm up and moving around. Oh, and speaking of moving around, I don't like to move around or do anything, really. Laziness Fatigue has hit me hard. I could would go for all-day naps if I could. I blame my laziness for not having a bump photo included in this post. I'm sure there will be one on Instagram before the end of the day.

Sleep has not been an issue lately.  Except for when Adri is in our bed. I'm not joking when I say I would sleep all day if I could. Even though I sleep pretty decently at night, I'm using tired again not too long after waking up.

Next week I get to go to the hospital for a tour of the labor and delivery ward. I could have sworn it was only an online tour now, but I guess not. The following day, I'll be headed back for another ultrasound. They're got to make sure that baby is growing as she should due to the blood pressure concerns and they also need to check if my placenta has moved back far enough to avoid any complications during delivery. If not, it could mean a scheduled c-section. Eek!

Not only am I 32 weeks pregnant today, but I'm also turning 27! Is it sad that I feel like I'm practically 30..?! We really don't have any plans for celebrating. V has a show at school tonight (which I'm rather excited for) and hopefully afterwards we can go out for cake and/or ice cream. Hopefully both.

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NO MORE TANGLES

This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with JOHNSON’S® NO MORE TANGLES® and Latina Bloggers Connect.

People are constantly commenting on how gorgeous the girls’ curls are (BTW, thanks! I made them myself.). For the most part, I like to leave their hair down and natural to give the curls a chance to just bounce around freely. When V goes to school though, I almost have to put it in some sort of ponytail to keep it from morphing into a rat’s nest by the end of the day.

I just started using JOHNSON’S® NO MORE TANGLES® three-step regimen as part of the girls’ hair care routine, and so far, I’m impressed. We've pretty much always been a JOHNSON’S® family, but up until now, I was really only using a head-to-toe soap. The NO MORE TANGLES® leave-in conditioner and detangling spray were just what we needed to manage the crazy curls.

Since I like to keep it simple, Veronica’s school day hairstyle is relatively simple to accomplish. It all begins the night before at bath time.

Step 1: After wetting her hair with warm water, I apply JOHNSON’S® NO MORE TANGLES® Shampoo & Conditioner, and lather it up. I love that there is a version for thick/curly hair, because that’s exactly what V has. The shampoo/conditioner leaves her hair easier to brush and manage without weighing it down. I also love the NO MO TEARS® formula, which is gentle to eyes, and makes rinsing it out less scary.

Step 2: Once bath time is over, I towel-dry her hair and apply a small amount of JOHNSON’S® NO MORE TANGLES® Leave-In Conditioner. This product compliments the shampoo & conditioner to help unlock stubborn tangles. The conditioners help keep her nice and smooth, with no rinsing required.

 Step 3: In the morning, I liberally spray JOHNSON’S® NO MORE TANGLES® Detangling Spray to slightly dampen V’s hair. I hate brushing her hair when it’s dry, so this not only wets it a tad, but also helps to instantly undo knots that may have formed overnight. I brush back her hair, tie it up in a ponytail, and add a cute headband as a special touch. The ponytail allows for her cute little curls to bounce while also keeping her hair controlled and out of her face.
JOHNSON’S® NO MORE TANGLES® Collection is available in food, drug, and mass-market chain stores.

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I Don't Feel Like Doing Anything

Yesterday was the epitome of a lazy day. I didn't do a damn thing. Actually, that's a bit of a lie. I did a few things, but really, as little as humanly possible. Between Adri crawling into bed with us still and pregnancy taking over my life, I was relatively fatigued.

The one major thing that I did manage to accomplish was going to the post office really quickly to drop off a package. I was slightly surprised when I turned on the car and Bruno Mars' Lazy Song was playing. It pretty much solidified the fact that nothing else was going to get done. Nothing at all.

Basically, no f***s were given. Kinda paying for it today though. Between my 32 week appointment this morning, and Caesar's annual check up this afternoon, I need to squeeze in a couple of errands. Once again, I put off going grocery shopping, so it'll be a nightmare for me to shop since today is payday for the people with military affiliated banks. I can't remember the last time I shopped on payday, but I feel like I'd prefer to go alone on payday vs taking the girls during the day. Who knows what adventures the commissary circus will have in store..

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SUP

After the weekend, we're able to cross off a major item from my Hawaiian Bucket List. We finally got a chance to try stand up paddle boarding (SUP)!

Saturday morning we rented a board from the rec center on post, and headed to the beach. The four adults in our group stupidly assumed that we'd be up and riding the thing instantly since everyone we've ever seen doing it made it look simple. That was not the case at all. At all.

No one was able to actually stand up on the board for more than just a couple of seconds. Balancing a huge chunk of foam on the water is nowhere near as easy as it looks. For the most part, we were able to get the kneeling part down though.

Once we had given up for the day, we saw a couple that was helping each other out with the standing part. Duh. By that time we were bruised and defeated, so it was going to have to wait. Along with having no clue how physically demanding this activity was, no one knew we'd end up scraped and bumped up. I have some pretty epic injuries on my knees and feet.

Juli made it through unharmed, but a repeat will probably have to wait until after she's born. Honestly, having to pull myself up without the belly getting in the way was a bit of a pain.

We tried the whole SUP thing again yesterday. The water was pretty rough, so there was virtually no chance that any of us were going to be standing up. I will say that I felt much more comfortable on the board though.

I wish I had pictures to share, but my little buddy Adri stole one of my SD cards again and I have yet to find it. Luckily, this time I know it's somewhere in my house (or possibly the yard or car) and not randomly absent from my hotel room. Hopefully I'll be able to update with photos soon.

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Shaving Before the Beach

If you're my brother or any other male that I might know in real life, you can go ahead and stop reading now. Thank you. You're welcome. Love you. Have a nice weekend. (: Everyone else, primarily my ladies, please keep reading...

For many, Memorial Day Weekend signifies the unofficial beginning of summer. If you're lucky to live near the ocean like I do, you might be spending a good amount of time at the beach this summer. And if you're anything like me,  it's likely that you have experienced the irritation caused by salt water on freshly shaved skin. Ouch! We've made several last minute trips to the beach since moving to Hawaii, which means there has been a lot of last minute shaving on my part.

Since it's really starting to warm up, beach trips have been happening more frequently for our family. Wanna know what hasn't been happening frequently in my showers? Shaving. The baby bump gets in the way of bending over, and quite frankly, I can't even see everything, so it pretty much gets neglected. I do have some decency though, so I do attempt a quick shave before hitting the sand.

Recently I started using a trick that I learned in college to quickly shave outside of the shower. All you need is baby oil, a razor, and a sink. Apply a generous amount of baby oil to the area that needs to be shaved. Wet your razor and shave as you normally would, rinsing off the razor when needed. When you're done, wipe off with a dry towel and you're pretty much good to go.

The first time I tried this, I prepared for the sting of the ocean upon entering the water. I was pleasantly surprised when there was no sensation of acid burning through my legs and bikini area. At first I thought it might possibly be a fluke, but I've been using this trick for the past couple of beach trips, and have not been disappointed whatsoever. We' plan on doing lots of stand up paddle boarding over the weekend and I am once again looking forward to not having to deal with the horrible sting from the salt water.

If you're beach bound this weekend, be sure to give this trick a try! I'd love to know that it works for someone else, as well!

Have a lovely weekend and remember the meaning behind the holiday.

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Living on Base

From the very beginning, John and I always said that we would always live off base, pretty much no matter what. For us, it has always made more sense to live off of the installation, and pocket the extra BAH (basic allowance for housing) money. Sure, maybe he'd have to drive a little further to work, but even with factoring in gas money, we'd still come out winning. After house hunting in Hawaii, we changed our minds pretty quickly. Well sort of. My mind was changed pretty quickly, it took some convincing on my part to get my other half to agree.

As we searched the internet for suitable housing, it became clear to me that it was going to take some work to find the perfect place within our price range. We needed something with at least four bedrooms that would take Caesar. He's a 75 pound dog, and most rentals weren't willing to accept pets over 20 pounds. John also insisted on having central AC. First of all, many homes down here are only rocking the window units. Plus I've heard that the power bills can get hefty on the island. Also, with the terrible traffic, I had no interest in waiting an hour from the time my husband got off of work until he got home.

Miraculously, I convinced my dear husband that we should at least try living on-post. If it was totally awful, we could search again once our lease was up after a year.

After living in our house on-post for five months, we're both pretty happy with my decision. We literally live five minutes from John's office. It came in handy yesterday when he urgently needed me to drop stuff off for him. Twice. When he takes command of a company, we'll be about 2 minutes away from the battalion/brigade. He'll be able to walk to PT every.single.morning.

I love that the girls and I can walk to the PX in a matter of minutes, and that the commissary and clinics are just as close. I have yet to become involved in any sort of volunteer activity, but the short commute time will definitely beat the half hour that I was doing each way in Georgia.

So far, the housing company and our community center have been awesome. When things break, they come out quickly to fix them. Just last week they came out and redid the landscaping out front, after I complained that the previous tenants had destroyed everything that was alive.

We're even getting money back each month for utilities, since we stay well under the average usage for the neighborhood.

For now, I'm enjoying living on post and all of the conveniences. But, I can say that without a doubt, we'll be buying another property at our next CONUS duty station. It only makes sense to have something that is ours, and then rent it and have the tenants paying our mortgage for us when it's time to move on.

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What Happened to Home Videos?

I was laying in bed between John and the girls one morning over the weekend. Something that Adri did made me wonder why I don't record the girls on video very often. They're growing so quickly, and I feel like I'm missing or forgetting so much of it. I can hardly remember Veronica being Adri's age and doing all the cute little quirky things that they do. Or what her voice used to sound like and all of the words that she used to pronounce incorrectly.

In the age of Instagram, it's rare that a day goes by where I don't snap a picture or 15 of my kids, but I can't recall the last time I recorded a video. A good video, not a 10 second clip that uses half of my phone memory. Do they even make video cameras anymore? I think I can use my DSLR camera to record video, but would I be able to get hours of footage like my parents used to?

One of the more recent times that I was home, old home videos made their way on to the TV. It was embarrassing, to say the least. But at the same time, entertaining to watch old mannerisms. When I'm old and my babies are gone from the house, it'll be those sweet memories that I'll cherish most. I just have to start capturing them.

Do any of you mommas record videos of your kiddos? What do you use?

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Random Thoughts

I had two different ideas for really great posts today, but when it actually came time to sit and type, my head was killing me, so for now, you're just getting whats on my mind at the moment.

I literally just discovered that I could use emojis on my MacBook. Wow. Edit > Special Characters, for those of you as clueless as I am. 🙀😃😘

 I forgot to go grocery shopping before payday, so now I'm thinking the pantry might just sit empty until after the weekend. I can not stand grocery shopping here on or just after payday. If I can make some last minute meal out of scraps for dinner tonight, we'll probably be fine with just eating out over the weekend.

John is currently sitting next to me still searching for property in the Caribbean. HGTV has him convinced that this is what we should do. Also, when the TV isn't on ESPN it's on HGTV. Should I be worried?

I'm making breakfast for John and a friend this morning after their commander murders them on some run up hill with sandbags. Most of you will likely be eating lunch by the time this happens. 

Pregnancy is killing my back. It happens every time. I can't sit for too long or my back hurts. I'm also starting to be exhausted all the time again. On the bright side, we're officially 3/4 of the way done.

I'm pretty sure I've lost half of my IQ since graduating college. Even if I wanted to pursue my master's, I'm not convinced I'd be able to read anything more challenging than a Dr. Seuss book.

Two of Hubster's fraternity brothers are coming to visit in about three weeks. I'm beyond excited. I say that now.. Going to have to attempt to keep up the energy to play tourist for an entire week. It'll be cool to finally do some touristy stuff though.

Too many damn bullet points. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Hopefully I can find time to schedule some blog stuff.

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Say Adios to Diapers - Part 2

This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Pull-Ups® Training Pants and Latina Bloggers Connect.

As promised, I am back with a second potty training related post. In the first Say Adios to Diapers post, I touched on some potty training tips that I think helped get Veronica potty trained. This post will be all about what we plan to do differently when it comes to Adriana.

I’ve mentioned several times before that Adri is in cloth diapers. It’s sort of my practice run for when Juliana gets here. Even though she is in cloth diapers, we keep a pack of Pull-Ups around the house for several different reasons. Many parents prefer to use disposables such as Pull-Ups instead of cloth at night to avoid any leakage issues. They're much easier to travel in, and when rashes happen, its safe to use diaper cream in Pull-Ups.

When it comes to potty training this time around, I feel like we’ll be taking a more relaxed approach. V wasn’t even two yet when we started practicing going potty on the toilet. It took until she was three and a half before she was fully potty trained. I have no desire to deal with that again. Adri has shown some interest, but it hasn’t been consistent, so I’m not going to force it.

We still have the toddler-sized potty, which is housed in the girls’ bathroom. Anytime Adri does use the toilet, she receives a mini celebration. No candy rewards this time although we have added some fun incentives to the mix.

Through the Pull-Ups website, we’re able to include fun activities into the potty training routine. Even though V is potty trained, she gets a kick out of some of these such as FaceTime with Cinderella. If you need progress chart, there is a free printable one that allows you to include your child’s name and your own customizable accomplishments. I can’t forget about the Big Kid App, which allows your toddler to enjoy Pull-Ups fun on the go.  

If you’re currently in the potty training phase, I encourage you to visit the Pull-Ups website. Along with a variety of activities for your little one, they offer resources to help you as a parent with potty training. You can also click for a Pull-Ups coupon. Potty training can be a challenge, but with Pull-Ups helping along the way, the journey doesn’t seem so tough.

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Co-Sleeping

I'm SO over it. If you can even call it co-sleeping. I haven't been getting any sleep, so it's more like Adri sleeping in my bed while I lay between her and John.

 
When the girls were first born, I was all about co-sleeping. It just made life so much easier. I never had to actually wake up for late night feedings, because they'd just find their way to a boob and feed themselves. I wasn't getting amazing sleeping since I was worried about crushing a baby. But to me, it was decent enough and a better option than having to actually wake up and sit while trying to feed a child.

Co-sleeping lasted about 10 months with each girl. Basically until they were weaned from breastfeeding. The transition from my bed to their own was relatively simple. For the most part, we had a great routine.

Towards the end of John's deployment, Veronica made her way back into bed with me. Getting her out was a nightmare. Now we're facing the same dilemma with Adriana. She had fantastic sleep habits before we got to Hawaii, but the move here really messed her up.

Lately, it feels like I'm getting beat up in my own bed. I imagine it had to be something like sleeping next to the bundle of joy that is Johnny Manziel. Complete with the Heisman pose. A few nights ago there was an extended arm which led to a palm in my face accompanied by a knee to the stomach.

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I've tried tiring her out more during the day in hopes that she'll stay asleep in her bed, but so far it's only delayed the inevitable. I also tried getting her to sleep in V's new big bed last night, but she wasn't feeling it. My next option might be to exile myself to the guest room or couch. I only have a few more months to enjoy mediocre sleep, before I have to start worrying about rolling over a child again.

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Busy Day

Since Adri and I started the mommy & me gymnastics class last week, Tuesdays have become our busy day.

The day begins with the unpleasant sound of my alarm going off. I'll get the girls up and get them dressed. V's school outfit has already been chosen, but I'll have to pick out something for Adri to wear (I should really just do it the night before). While V is taking care of herself, I'll help Adri out with little things like brushing her teeth.

In an effort to save us some time with breakfast, I made these banana oatmeal muffins last night. I had a few last night, and ermahgerd! They're SO good! Once we head out, there's no turning back. Adri will have a muffin in the car and V gets fed at school. As soon as we drop V off, we'll be on our way to gymnastics! After gymnastics is errand time, and hopefully we'll be home in time for lunch and a nap.

As I was baking, I  started to think about what other things I could possibly do to try and save myself time in the mornings and throughout the day. I think Monday night muffins will probably become part of my weekly routine. I quickly got it done between dinner and bath time. It only takes a few minutes to throw everything in the mixer and then into the oven anyway..

I've been building up my stash of freezer meals for when Juliana gets here. I wish I had the ability to spend a day putting dishes together, but I don't. Slowly but surely it's getting done. I know that's going to save a bunch of time once we have a newborn around. It would be fantastic if Hubs could just cook, but with his schedule, it would mean that some nights we wouldn't be eating until like 8 pm.

I feel like I'm on a roll now, and need to find some more time saving tips. With the muffins, I have breakfast not only for today, but for the rest of the week as well. My next goal might be to put together smoothie packets that I can just dump into the blender each morning. That's probably easier said that done.

Do you have any time saving tips that I can steal?

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My Day Off

Although I am extremely grateful that I have the opportunity to be a stay at home mom, it's not exactly my ideal job. Since forever, I wanted to be a stay at home mom to be able to dedicate the majority of my time to my kids. My mom always had to work and had a hard time making it to many of my extracurricular events and that wasn't how I wanted it to be for my own children. However, I had no idea how demanding being a stay at home mom would actually be.

Yesterday, I got to take my one vacation day of the year. Not having to be the parent constantly catering to tiny tyrants was a nice change and made me really appreciate them so much more. When Adri asked for chapstick, I sent her to her father. Same thing with Veronica and her need for 300 daily snacks. Not only did my amazing husband take care of these trivial tasks, but he made sure to make it a special day for the family to enjoy together.

Our morning started with crepes on the North Shore. I love the North Shore beaches, and you can't beat fresh crepes for breakfast on a special day. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't ideal for beaching, but we gave it a shot anyway.

Since it was a bit drizzly when we first got to our beach location, we decided to tour a little in hopes that the sun would peak out. We passed by the cafe where 50 First Dates was filmed. It was absolutely nothing special. Honestly, it was kinda run down and hardly looked like the one in the movie..

From there we went to this rocky area that sort of juts out into the ocean. The views were spectaular, but it was difficult for the kids to walk, so we didn't stay too long.

At the beach we were able to enjoy the water for a little over an hour before the rain moved in and we had to pack up and head home. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching HGTV while John searched for Caribbean properties while managing the girls.

Being able to take a day off is exactly what I needed to not start the week off feeling overwhelmed. Oh, and I got a certificate for a massage, so I'm probably taking a day off next weekend too.. In the mean time, there is currently a stack of dishes in the sink from Saturday waiting to be loaded into the dishwasher.

Have a great week, guys!!

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Say Adios to Diapers - Part 1

This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Pull-Ups® Training Pants and Latina Bloggers Connect.

As a parent, potty training has been one of those most frustrating experiences that I’ve had to deal with, by far. It took several attempts at potty training before it finally stuck with Veronica. Soon it will be Adri’s turn to start potty training. While I’m dreading having to go through the process again, I learned a lot the first time around that I’m hoping will assist this time.

For the first part of this Say Adios to Diapers series, I’ll be sharing some of the insight gathered from round one of potty training with V. In the second post, I’ll be talking about what we plan to do with Adri and what we’ll be doing differently from the first time.

Get the gear. When potty training Veronica, we started off by buying two things. She got a miniature potty that doubled as a stool and had a removable seat, which could be attached to the toilet, as well as “big girl pants,” aka Pull-Ups. The toddler-sized potty made it easy for her to go on her own and being able to use the seat to make the big toilet child friendly helped a bunch too.

Being in Pull-Ups versus diapers has been proven to deliver more potty training success. Not only did V feel less like a baby with wearing big girl pants, but they made it possible for her to remove them on her own when it came time to use the toilet. With Pull-Ups’ partnership with The First Years, parents can purchase a specialty potty seat for her toddler featuring a free sample pack of Pull-Ups® Training Pants.

Consistency. Continually repeating the same routine helps it to become a habit. For that reason, a trip to the potty was something that happened first thing every morning. I have to pee when I first wake up, so why wouldn’t she? I believe that getting Veronica accustomed to this first trip, made it easier for her to recognize what I felt like to have to go. And even if she didn’t use the potty for the rest of the day, this first trip was always something that happened.

Positive Reinforcement. Since the very beginning, we’ve made a big deal out of every potty occurrence that actually happened on the toilet. Celebrate the Every Flush is a ritual designed to celebrate successes in potty training. In our home, each flush was accompanied by lots of cheering and clapping. For a while, Veronica was rewarded for going on the potty with a treat, usually a piece of candy. After a while, she was getting too much candy, so we stopped that. Some parent’s choose the healthier alternative of stickers or reward charts.

The main thing that I learned with Veronica is that potty training takes some serious commitment. It didn't happen right away, and it actually took several separate attempts with breaks in between for it to catch on. For that reason, I'm not in a huge rush with Adri, yet. But I do have plans that I'll discuss next time.

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Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you lovely ladies out there!

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You're Doing OK, Mom

As a mom, often times it’s difficult to know whether or not you’re doing a good job.

When you first bring your little bundle home from the hospital and you can’t figure out why they’re still crying after you’ve tried everything, it’s easy to feel like you’re failing.

The process seems to repeat itself when they hit the terrible twos. Tantrums and endless crying happening all over again. Only now, it happens in public and you get resentful glances from strangers. Once again, it’s easy to feel as though you’re failing.

And then they grow a little. They’re starting to learn their colors and shapes and ABCs. But as moms, we worry if they’re learning enough and if they’re on the same level as their peers. Am I doing enough to prepare them for school?

Then there are the times when you’re snuggling and everything in the world seems to be perfect. Their sweet little kisses give you the reassurance that you need to know that you are in fact doing a great job.

Just the other day, Adri and I were sitting around on my bed when she turned to me and said, “You’re my best friend, mom.” I died a little on the inside. It’s moments such as those that reassure me that I’m doing a decent job as a parent. Or like right now that I have a toddler softly brushing my hair as I type.

Parenthood certainly doesn’t always seem perfect, but there are always special moments to reassure us that things are in fact  going as close to perfectly as they can.

If you’re feeling mushy, take a look at this video or follow this link to view it on YouTube. Warning: it’s one of those mommy tearjerkers. For each view of the “You’re doing OK, Mom,” JOHNSON’S® Baby’s social initiative to donate $1 to Save the Children®. Save the Children® is an organization that gives children around the world a healthy start, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you mommas out there tackling this crazy life the best way you know how. You’re doing OK, Mom.

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Sponsored: Five Tips for a Successful Military Spouse Career Search

I received compensation from AT&T in exchange for posting and hosting this giveaway. All opinions are my own. 

Many military spouses know how difficult it can be to find and maintain a career when you're moving every few years. Although it's been a while since I've had a job outside of the home, I have a few great tips that I've picked up along the years and from a marketing course I took in college.

1. Have a good resume: Even with gaps in employment, it's possible to have a great resume. If you haven't worked in a while, don't forget to include any applicable volunteer experience that you may have. Many military installations offer resume workshops to assist with helping you look good on paper.

2. Use your resources: Along with resume workshops, some military installations offer assistance with searching for openings or job placement. I've also seen employment fairs that bring together several employers from the community that are looking to hire. Don't forget that there are scholarships and grants available to military spouses to help with furthering your education.

3. Research, research, research: This one applies to many aspects of the job search process. You'll need to research employment requirements, average pay, etc. If you're lucky enough to score an interview, make sure to research the employer so that you're prepared for any questions that your interviewer might throw at you. Company history, awards, and what distinguishes them from their competition are great places to start.

4. Dress the part: You've heard the phrase, "dress for the job you want." Part of your research should include appropriate office attire. Depending on where you're applying/interviewing, you'll more than likely want to dress pretty conservatively. Be sure to have a clean appearance as well keep it simple with the jewelry and makeup.

5. Find a portable career: Many employers, such as AT&T, are willing to work with their employees and accommodate the frequent need for relocation. Through their website for military spouses, you can search and apply for jobs near military installations. Working from home is always a fantastic option.

Are there any additional career search tips that you'd like to add to help military spouses? Tweet your ideas to @attjobs and include #MilSpouse.

Annnd.. Now for the part that I'm sure you've all been waiting for.. The winner of the AT&T gift basket is: Amanda Sakovitz. An alternate winner will be chosen if I don't hear back.

Thank you to everyone who entered and participated!

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First, Second, Third

My poor Juliana. Third child syndrome has hit hard. The kid might never own a new anything until she is old enough to go out and purchase it for herself. The oldest sibling in me didn't believe that third child syndrome could happen to me, but believe me people, it's happening. It's just so much easier (and cheaper) to do the hand me down thing from sibling to sibling. History is repeating itself, and much like my sister, who knows if Juli will even get a baby book.

Yesterday, we finally got around to setting up V's new bed. I took apart the convertible crib that's been scratched up throughout our couple of moves and put the pieces and old bedding in Adri's  room, which she'll be sharing with the new baby. Off to Target Adri and I went to buy a brand new full-sized bed set and all the fun little matching accessories for Veronica's new big girl room.

After moving everything around Adri has V's old crib mattress (since it was a much nicer one than what she had) and Juli is going to get V's old bed and Adri's old crib mattress. Lucky little lady she is. But at least V (now Juli) has the higher quality Babies R Us stuff, versus Adri's second child syndrome Walmart bedding.

When it comes to clothes, Juliana is once again going to get the short end of the stick. I've been overwhelmed trying to finish sorting the boxes of baby clothes that we have. For now, I refuse to buy any new articles of clothing for Juliana. Most everything we own is in pretty decent condition, and it's not like she'll notice that my favorite pieces are a bit more faded than the others.

Hopefully I'll remember to jot down milestones in Juliana's book (I haven't completely succeeded with Adri's), but at this point, I think she'll be lucky if she even makes it to her well-baby check ups and I remember to take pictures of her height and weight.

I feel slightly guilty, but I know in the end, the baby of the family comes out winning. I still hate my sister for not having to deal with a curfew and the insanely strict parents that I grew up with.

Today is the last day to enter the #MilSpouse Appreciation Day iPad giveaway! 

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Who to Follow?

After blogging for two years, it seems like many of my favorite bloggers have either stopped blogging or have sort of transitioned to blogging about topics that I'm no longer really interested in. Over time, my reading list has decreased. I don't necessarily have time to read every day, but it feels like when I do have the time, I'm done in a matter of 20 minutes.

Help me out friends. What are some of your favorite blogs to follow? I'm partial to the momma and military wife blogs, but really, I'll read anything.

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Weekend Highlights

Annnd it's Monday again. Why does it always feel like the weekend flies by no matter how long it is? John took leave after returning from JRTC last week, so even though our "weekend" was five days long, it went by much quicker than the typical five day week. Hopefully these next five days pass by just as quickly.

While Hubster was home, we spent a good amount of time beaching. Let me tell you, we needed it! Living in Hawaii is nice, but unless you're taking advantage of the surroundings, it can be just as dull as any other military town. Three beach days in the span of five days definitely made me appreciate having the opportunity to live in paradise.

Wednesday: It was the first time that John got to go watch Veronica do gymnastics. From gymnastics, we headed straight to one of my favorite beaches on the North Shore. We spent a good amount of time catching rays and building castles, before heading into town for Thai food. My parents used to eat Thai takeout all the time and I thought it was the grossest thing. I've had it twice now in the past month or two, and I love the stuff!

Thursday: Anniversary day! I actually spent the majority of the day away from Hubster. He dropped V off at school while I had my 28 week check up. From there he went on a man-date and I went with a friend to get a pedicure and do some anniversary shopping. Oops, I suck at gifts. After school, we dropped V and Adri off at a friend's house and went on a date to Top of Waikiki, a revolving restaurant. It was such a fun experience!

Friday: Another beach day. The weather in the Schofield area was crappy, so we packed up and headed to the other side of the island. We've been wanting to check out Hanauma Bay since we got here, and finally had a chance. It's known for it's amazing snorkeling views, but unfortunately, since it was kind of cloudy I wasn't feeling the full submersion thing. I may have also been afraid of being disappointed by the reefs. We've gone on multiple snorkeling excursions on cruises and have always kind of been let down. After growing up in South Florida, and my dad always owning a boat, I've seen some remarkable reefs. Nothing else has ever compared. Hubs had a nice time snorkeling and saw a bunch of fun fish though. I'm sure we'll go back another time.

Saturday: One of Hubster's friends was heading to training for a month in California, so he threw a Tres de Mayo party. The boys drank plenty while the kids made a mess and the wives lounged around. They made this frozen lemonade + beer drink that I tried a sip of, and I can't wait to make when I'm not pregnant anymore. It was freaking delicious, and I'm sure very dangerous.

Sunday: After a crazy Saturday night, the plan was to have a nice crepe breakfast/brunch and head to the beach. I'm lazy in the morning and we didn't make it out for crepes in time for breakfast. Instead, we decided to do the beach first and then get crepes as a late lunch. Only the crepe place closed long before we were done at the beach. This was our first time going to the beach in Kailua, and we instantly fell in love. The sand was so much softer than anywhere else on the island, and the water temp and wave size were perfect. We ended up getting burgers just before heading home. At home everyone crashed for nap time, followed by a shower and bedtime shortly after. Yay for sleep!

I apologize for not visiting a single blog last week. Now that Hubs is back to work, I'll be attempting to catch up. Or I might just mark them all as read in Bloglovin' and start fresh.

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28 Week Bumpdate

I had my 28 week prenatal appointment on Thursday, and I'm so thrilled with how well it went. I had a ton of questions for my doctor, which he spent a great amount of time answering for me. I'm fairly certain that my appointment cut far into the following appointment.

Up to this point, I've gained just over 25 pounds. Even when I forget to take my blood pressure pills, my blood pressure has been well within a normal range. The results from my glucose screening came back perfectly. The limit for that is 130 and my levels were in the 70s. I was pretty excited about that since I've always had to do the repeat three hour test. Basically, the doctor told me that everything looked great and to continue doing what I was doing. So I came home and had two cupcakes for breakfast.

Several of my questions were related to my blood pressure issue and how it would affect the rest of the pregnancy. When I first started my pregnancy appointments, they labeled me as high-risk and said that I'd had to come from extra appointments. For now, the doctor said that everything could continue on as if it were a normal pregnancy. I will get to continue having monthly growth ultrasounds to make sure that Juliana is developing as she should be.

I've been feeling Juli moving a ton lately. She's still most active at bedtime though. At the appointment, the doctor also pointed out that I'm one of the 20% of women who can't lie flat on their backs without suffocating their baby, so she's most active when I'm lying on my side.

I haven't had any issues with sleep other than I'm still tired when I wake up in the morning. For a while, I've been staying up later to take care of blog or care package stuff, but I need to cut that out.

I'm no longer fitting in my fat jeans, so I've pretty much had to completely switch to maternity clothes. I've bought a few skirts that work for pregnancy and should fit without a belly and I plan to do that same with some dresses.

Friday I had one of those monthly growth ultrasounds, and for the most part, everything looked great. We got some amazing views of the baby's face and she definitely has the same nose and lips as Adri.

Don't forget to enter the iPad giveaway! It ends this week!

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Five Years

It all started at a lunch date with a different guy. As a senior sorority girl, I was on the hunt for a fraternity little brother. One of my actual little brother's high school friends seemed like the perfect choice, so I forced him into getting lunch with me on campus. Lucky for me, he brought a couple of his weirdo fraternity brothers. My sorority had done a bunch of events with this fraternity in the past, but since they were the "nerdy" group, I purposely skipped out on ALL of those events.

Not too long after the lunch date, fraternity rush started. I also happened to be in the running for homecoming queen at the time. In an exchange for bringing girls to the fraternity house, one of the nerdy boys promised votes. Yay for being forced to go rep the loser frat. At one of the rush events, one of the previously mentioned weirdo brothers insisted on chatting with me. He was the big brother of the kid that I also wanted as a little brother. Could this be my way in to big sister land?

It was! I got an amazing little brother along with a random number texting me. I entertained these texts for a while, and started hanging out more at the fraternity house. My best friend insisted that I give the weirdo, who was slightly older than average college age, a chance. It took some serious convincing, but we started hanging out, and he actually wasn't that bad. Eventually, weirdo kid became boyfriend. He was in ROTC, and although I had no idea what that meant, he sure did look sexy in his Soldier uniform.

Fast forward to the spring semester. The boy was set to graduated and commission with orders to Fort Lewis, Washington, while I still had one more painful semester left in Miami. He was literally going to be across the country. While I guess a long distance relationship could have worked, it wasn't something I was overly excited about. So, at the ROTC's end of the year dining out, and only six months into our relationship, John asked me to marry him and leave behind my flip flops and warm weather for Washington. 

Originally, the plan was to wait until after I graduated and get married in December or January. Some how between April 2, when he proposed, and May 1, when we got married, plans changed. I'll be honest. Some of it had to do with benefits and extra pay. Either way, I was going to be in school and living with the parentals until December/January, and we were going to get married anyway, so why not sign some papers a few months early, and then plan a big event for some other time. So romantic, I know.

On May 1, 2009 Johnny and I tied the knot. It was a small-ish ceremony at my parent's house. And by small-ish I mean some family and sorority sisters and an entire fraternity. In the end, it ended up being a drunken frat party, but I would not have had it any other way. Our wedding was far from traditional and I'm quite happy with that.

Five years later and things are still going wonderfully. We have two beautiful little girls with another on the way. I have an amazing husband who loves me no matter what craziness comes out of my mouth. He puts up with my lack of organization and my off the wall ideas like cloth diapering. I'm so happy to have found my love and taken the chance of jumping into marriage. Five down, 75 to go.

I love you Bubby!

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