Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Visa? Mastercard? CASH?

The other day on the radio I heard about a coffee shop that no longer takes cash! They only take credit cards. The owner said that since they have become a credit card only establishment that they have not had issues with employee theft or losing money! Also, she said that they don't have to run to the bank throughout the week to get change and drop off deposits.

I found this very interesting because it seems like the world is no longer a "cash operation" and I find myself never having cash!

One thing that we always look for when owning a credit card are the following things:

* 0% balance transfer[s], balance transfer credit cards
* cash back credit cards, reward credit cards

One thing that we just recently noticed with one of our cards that we've had for many years and spent thousands on is that we had these "reward" coupons that were unclaimed! But over 5 years of card ownership and thousands spent...we only accumulated a $25.00 Sears Giftcard! They made that much on us during one month of interest!

One place to compare credit cards, credit card comparison through the CreditCardStore. They offer grids that will perfectly illustrate what cards might be best suited for your financial and spending needs.

We recently paid down our credit cards after owing over $30,000 and I can honestly say that I don't care if I ever use another credit card again!

Of course...I'd have to change my tune if I wanted to go to the favored coffee shop listed above!

This post sponsored by: http://www.creditcardstore.co.uk

Bedtime?

Okay, it's now 2am in the morning and I can hear Graem coughing and Margot snoring like a banchee indian. I think I'm going to do a few more posts and call it a night/morning.

Of course, my butt is going to stay pretty comfortable on the couch.

I guess the good thing about all of this is that there's a shorter distance between the couch and the bathroom?

Bzzzt. I've been stung by the Wirefly!

Boy, do I hate bees, flies, and most other forms of nature! It seems like every summer I seem to find the biggest nest either under our carport or in our backyard!

The only fly that I'm partial too is --- Wirefly! I've been looking at their website for some time now and waiting for that perfect deal on a cell phone and cell phone plan for Margot and me.

One thing that's important is that we have talk to talk features between the two of us so that we don't end up using all of our minutes. We would also like to be able to talk in the evenings and weekends for free.

We had Sprint in the past and it ended up not working for us because it was when the first started up in Ithaca and the reception and coverage was horrible. So days after opening the account I ended up switching.

However, since Sprint has been around for over five years now and has a pretty good reputation --- I think I might want to give it a chance. Of course Margot's brother Dennis has Sprint Service and he has the Treo with the wireless web, IM, and phone service all wrapped into one bundle package. I think he pays about $85 a month for all of that! I'm sure he'll probably be interested in the Sprint upgrades that are going to be available through Wirefly! Not only would he be eligible for a new phone but also a new headset.

One thing that we've all been holding out for is the new I-Phone! Of course, it's probably good that our current Verizon plan doesn't end until next February or else we'd be the first in line to pay the $500+ bucks for a buggy I-Phone!

I think I'll let others work out the kinks and then by the time we're ready to join in...maybe the phone will be free!

Here's hoping?

This post sponsored by: Wirefly

7DPO or CD21

Well, it's 1:30am and I've come to the conclusion - that I'm pregnant! Of course, this is just my speculation but you've got to take my word for it. I've felt major twinges all day and tonight I felt like so much has been going on down there!

I feel my left tube twitching away and it sometimes hurts when I move a certain way. I also had a wave of nausea hit when I was sleeping. I feel bloated all over again and I'm peeing ever 30 minutes.

Not to mention I can't sleep!! I was exhausted earlier tonight (7:00) and almost fell asleep on the couch...now I'm wide awake and once again - have to pee!

I know I'll just have to wait til Saturday til we go in for my bloodwork...but I really think this could be eat.

(I really hope I don't have to eat my words!)

If it isn't one thing...

It seems like we constantly have something that we're reviewing or looking into. Right now we are accessing what type of life insurance we need. Of course, the hard part of that is that since we are living on Margot's income -- we'd prefer to buy more coverage than we need.

While looking at the life insurance we've also taken a look at the home and car insurance. We were thinking of taking the comprehensive insurance off of the Honda CRV because it's an older car and I'm not sure it makes sense to pay for both comp and collision.

Since paying off all of our credit cards (YAH!!) I think we're going to try to focus on putting a set amount into our savings accounts each month.

Thank God, at this point the only thing that we owe is our car payment, and mortgage on our house. We've thought about looking into a cheap loan to do some home renovations but more than likely...we'd look at mortgages again and perhaps roll the renovations into a new mortgage.

Didn't I warn you that our lives are chaotic now and full of decisions?

This post sponsored by: http://www.nationsfinance.co.uk

Thanks for the break, kiddo.

Grammy was so good today (yesterday). She listened to everything I asked her to do and even helped out when we were picking up her legos today. We played legos, puzzles, read books, and watched a little television.

She ate TONS of Indian food for lunch and got it all over herself. Good thing she was still in her pajamas and I just washed her up and put her in her daily clothes!

She ended up taking a nap at 1:00 or so and slept for a good 2 1/2 hours.

It was a good day at "work"!

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Grammy would love this!

Graem loves her dolls. We have no idea where she gets it from because God knows Margot and me are not the "girly" type to say the least!

She will put on and take off the baby's diaper about 100 times a day. Then she tries to put her baby into clothes that are way too small or tries to put a leg through an arm hole.

Sometimes, I think that the babies cause her more grief than they are worth!

When she gets a little bit older I think she's going to love Dress Up Games. You can actually dress and build your own doll on TheDollPalace.com. How cool!

Here are some great examples of the dolls you can build:





I'm actually going to try to do one of these to depict Graem! You can pick the style of avatar, along with the theme, and background props too! There is so much to choose from I can see myself becoming obsessed with this within a matter of minutes!

The cool thing about dolls that you make is that you can use them for forums, chats, and competitions.

I'm going to have to show Graem this! Of course, I can see my two year old hogging the computer and saying "Mine do it!"

This post sponsored by: TheDollPalace.com

Not a thing to do today!

And I love it! We are just going to hang out and have a "Mama and me day". I figure we can read some books, do some puzzles, musical instruments and then lunch.

It's been nice to just hang out the past few days with nothing on the agenda but an occassional lunch here and there!

6DPO or CD20

It's almost been a week since the insemination and I'm feeling pretty confident about this whole thing. I've just tried to take it one day at a time and think positive!

I've been having quite a few cramps and twinges which I'm taking as good signs. Also, in the evening my stomach is distended and I'm guessing that's from the OHSS. It looks like I'm already 3 months pregnant!

I'm glad to see that the symptoms have not gone away though and I only have til Saturday before I find out if this worked or not!

Of course, I'm going to start peeing on sticks Friday morning before I go for my subbing gig!

A new to you car?

Now that we have all of our debt paid off we might start looking at new cars. Or at least a "new to us" car! One thing that we have considered is a Toyota Sienna Minivan. With Graem getting bigger and hopefully a baby or two on the way we really could use the extra space. Not to mention, I'm sure that we're going to be making more trips to New York City with Margot's dad sick.

More than likely we will looked at used cars and minivans when we are ready to purchase. That's the only way we'd be able to actually afford a Toyota Minivan.

Lemonfree.com offers some great information on purchasing used cars. They also offer an easy to use search engine. You can look at everything from a Honda Accord to a Ford Explorer.



Before you spend big bucks on a car - do the math, be knowledgeable about what you want, and avoid the annoying car salesmen with Lemonfree.com!

This post sponsored by: Lemonfree.com

Darn dog.

Last night we kept waking up because the dog would all of a sudden hear a noise and start howling at the top of her lungs. Of course, it would wake me first, I would yell at her, the Margot and Graem would wake up.

Sometimes I wonder why Bailey is seven years old and still doesn't get it!

Monday, February 26, 2007

No more debt!

It has taken us over ten years to be debt free! At one point we had over $30,000 in debt on credit cards due to infertility and college debt. It's amazing how fast it is to rack up the debt and how long it takes to pay it off!

The most important part of reducing your debt is to become educated. Sometimes it means working with your creditors to make payment plans that fit within your budget. Other times it might be working with a debt consolidation firm.

One way that we found to be an important way to reduce our debt was to look for the best internet auto loans. There are tons of companies out there that want to earn your business. The great part of that is that you can find a competitive loan out there!

Obviously, the best way to handle your debt is educate yourself. Check out creditloan.com. They offer tons of information that will help you get back on track.

This post sponsored by: CreditLoan.com

Oh dear God.

Today I've been feeling tons of stretching and pressure "downstairs". Of course, I'm probably just reading into it...but I really feel like something is going on down there.

Not to mention -- my stomach is back to being distended. It literally looks like I'm three months pregnant cause my upper belly almost sticks out more than my boobs!

I'm totally in bad shape if I end up not being pregnant and I look like this...then people will just think I'm a weird shaped fat girl. Great.

Baby, I got your digits!

It seems like we have subscribed to every cell phone service known to man over the past years.

When we first started with the cell phones in the late 90's we went through Cingular (currently known as AT&T). The reception was fine as long as we were located in the city of Ithaca. When we moved out to Trumansburg we didn't get reception in our house! Also, one thing that was not so hot was that we constantly had TONS of roaming fees whenever we traveled.

Then we switched over to Sprint. For a few days only! I was responsible for choosing a provider for our work account and decided to go with Sprint because they offered great phones and really good corporate deals. The one thing about Sprint though...no service anywhere! Including inside our house!

Most recently, we have been with Verizon Wireless for the past 4 years or so and been happy with their service. The one thing that we hate though is the fact that each month they seem to add a new "fee". This month there were $4.00 of new fees and when you call them up it's all automated so you never really get answers! So much for customer service right?

When our contract ends next March I think we're really going to shop around. One place that I have become quite fond of is Wirefly. They have different plans from all of the big cell phone providers and tons of phones to choose from. The thing that I really love about Wirefly is that they do the haggling and work for you. They have a search tool so that you can find the perfect phone plan and phone for your cellular need.

Of course...my decision is going to be based on who has web, phone, and possibly offers the new I-Phone! I figure by March of 2008 that the I-Phone won't be the hottest new phone and maybe we can get a good deal on two of them!

This post sponsored by: Wirefly

Lunch!

Today I had lunch with my friend Kathy. Graem of course came along since today is her day with me. She had to poop in the worst way and started yelling in the restaurant "NO POO POO IN PANTIES." Then she started grunting and and crying in one of the booths!

Of course the restaurant was pretty crowded and once she pooped and I cleaned her up (on the floor of the bathroom, no less) she was 100% better.

I had the Panang Chicken CUrry and Steak Salad. Graem had a bowl of the coconut milk soup.

Good thing we're back home and it's nap time. It's been a pretty active day!

The cat's out of the bag..

or something like that! It has just been released that PayPerPost is releasing some "BIG NEWS" in the next couple of weeks and I know exactly what it is!

Ted Murphy, PPP's President, just called me a few minutes ago and told me what's going on. He also wanted to get some feedback from one of his favorite "posties."

They have been able to sign on MICROSOFT as a future advertiser!!!! Microsoft just released their new program Vista and unfortunately, it hasn't received as much PR as they had planned. Even after millions of dollars spent on advertising sells are down and so they're looking to market the program in a different way.

What better way to do that than to be a paid advertiser on the world's most favorite paid for blogging site, PayPerPost?

Of course, I watched PayPerPost's reality tv show called RockStartup. There Randy, PPP's Sales Director, met with someone and discussed a few other advertisers that they might try to work within the next few months.

My guess is once Microsoft joins on --- it's going to be smooth sailing from here on out and other advertisers will want to advertise with "pay for blogging" companies.

I think more than likely they will be announcing this information through one of their press releases. I'm sure just like all of the other advertisers that work with PayPerPost, Microsoft is going to be pretty happy with the results.

Hmm..another idea that Ted mentioned and asked to please keep quiet - is that PayPerPost is acquiring Blogitive! Ted thinks it's a good idea and a solid investment. He's going to be in talks this week with Blogitive executives to see if they can work out the final details of the deal.

Boy, a lot is going on with PayPerPost these days and I'm glad that Ted values my opinion enough to call and get my two cents!

Keep up the good work PPP!

5DPO or CD19

So, if you haven't noticed I've been posting on the website every day in hopes of recording the symptoms or things that I feel.

It's been nice looking back on previous months because I can compare and contrast symptoms.

Last night I just kept thinking "it's working and I'm going to be pregnant!" I had some pretty twingy cramps and it really felt like an embryo our two was making a home in my uterus!

Of course, this could be the point where I'm admitted into an institution. Good thing I can appreciate institutional food!

Sunday, February 25, 2007

I needed that!

I always look towards comedy to make me feel better. Today it's been in the form of Cartoons by Gaspirtz.

Take a look:



If that's not funny then I'm not sure what is!

Oliver Gaspirtz makes these and many other award winning cartoons. He's been published in magazines, books, newspapers, and even cartoon art exhibits around the world.

Darnit.

I just got an email from my friend J. (Friend who lives in Arizona, and we hooked up LV when we were doing the cycle at SIRM). She was doing an IUI and she thinks it didn't work.

Of course, I still think it's too early to tell and she's testing way too early. But she also has two kids and has been pregnant a few other times and miscarried.

Why is getting knocked up so damn hard? I feel like each time one of my friends can't get pregnant it makes me sad too.

On a good note...we know that both of us can get pregnant...we've just got to hang in there wait for that perfect egg and sperm to meet and hopefully get pregnant. Hopefully, it'll happen sooner than later cause we all know that these negatives really tend to beat a girl down.

Damn liberals.

I think at this point I would probably fall under that title. The only disqualifier I have is that I was born and raised in Texas. (Please, don't hold it against me.)

But that aside - I'm a lesbian, live in New York, registered Democrat, married to a Chinese woman, and raise a bi-racial daughter.

I've been quite embarassed to tell New Yorkers that I'm from Texas because many think that I'm George Bush's neighbor or buddy, which couldn't be further from the truth!

George Bush has done a great job --- at wasting our natural resources, building up our national debt, and killing thousands of Americans and innocent Iraqis, and lying to the American people.

He's misguided us and presented information that's not only been a lie -- but downright manipulative.

Any other president that would have done this same behaviour we would have impeached years ago...why is this monkey still around??

One place that I can go to talk about my frustrations and commiserate with other liberals is the News Nation Forums. They have tons of different topics and it's easily accessible and organized in a message board setting.

Check the site out -- it's really a great place for "like-minded" people to come together and make a difference.

This post sponsored by: NewsNation.net

4DPO or CD18

Yesterday I had some pretty good twinges in my tubes/ovaries area. I also started my progesterone in oil shots which hurt like crazy. I inject them right in my thigh and the whole idea is if you poke yourself just like a dart they are suppose to go in with ease.

Not the case last night! I tried it and on the third try it finally made it's way into the muscle in my thigh.

This morning I woke up with knots on my legs.

Whatever it takes right? Good, think I have a lot of surface area on my legs and don't expect to run out any time soon.

I *heart* RockStartup!

So most of you are probably wondering what in the heck I'm talking about. PayPerPost has started this reality tv show called RockStartup where they video tape the ongoings of a startup blog for money company.

There are currently twelve episodes out there and I became addicted yesterday and watched all twelve in one sitting!!! The shows are anywhere from six through nine minutes. I absolutely love some of the people that work at PPP as they've been really nice to Margot and me in the past. Ted Murphy, the owner seems to really care about his team and the posties that write for PPP.

In the video you can actually see the people that run the place, review our posts and leave comments, and the tech guys who make sure that PPP runs smoothly.

My favorite episode by far is Episode 11: Can't hardly weight! I was laughing throughout and loved Veronique. She is really cute and quite funny!

Here's the video:



I think it's hilarious that they have an office weigh in and that Britt is so into it when she's one of the skinnier ones there! I think it's hilarious when Veronique is hanging out at her desk minutes after the weigh in eating chocolates!

Veronique, keep up the saavy attitude (and cheating of course!).

BEWARE: These videos are quite addicting and once you start the first episode you're bound to be like me and 1 1/2 hours later be curled up on your couch watching all twelve!!

I think all of the episodes are great and I wouldn't change a thing - except maybe keeping it a little bit more raw and uncut! I'd like to see more of the reviewers and maybe get an idea of what they're like.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

3DPO or CD17 - part two

As I'm sitting here playing games on the computer I feel some twitching in my tubes! I wonder if I could feel the tube dropping the egg into my uterus? Probably not.

I guess this is where visualization gets me!

Home alone!

Margot and Grammy went out and it's just me. Awww...peace and quiet. Except for the damn dog that keeps on barking at everything single thing that she sees or hears.

Our house is a craphole and I figure as long as we don't have bugs, poop, or pee on the floor we're alright.

I'm just too tired to do anything and when I move too much my tummy starts to ache. I figure that's my body saying "sit your ass down."

So, I listen!

For a worthy cause...

I love it when I can support worthy causes either through posts or by giving a monetary donation. It's with great pleasure that I talk about something that I think is an amazing and heartfelt idea.

March 9th, 2007 a new movie called "The Ultimate Gift" will be released. The movie has Academy Award Nominee Abigail Breslin, James Gardner, Ali Hillis, Drew Fuller, and Brian Dennehy. You'll remember Abigail Breslin is from the movie "Little Miss Sunshine."

This movie was developed with the idea that "The only way you can truly get more out of life for yourself is to give part of yourself away". This is a theme that is being taught throughout with the presentation of this film throughout the United States but also schools are incorporating the idea into their curriculms.

There have already been 300 pre-screenings of the show which have resulted in more than 5 million dollars of money to charity.

What's really awesome is that teenagers are really motivated by the movie and have started their own movement called "Show of Hands"

This move struggled to find monetary support from the beginning but after a while 20th Century Fox decided to take a chance and is now offering it in over 800 movie theatres for it's release.

The book "The Ultimate Gift" has been out for several years and has received stellar reviews.

I recommend you check this movie and/or book out. It's for a good cause and you might just feel good about yourself and others afterwards!



This is the official site of the movie "The Ultimate Gift" and the grass-roots movement its starting to help charities and give to others.

This post sponsored by: "The Ultimate Gift"

Implantation?

Either today or tomorrow would be the day that implantation occurs and I've felt a few twinges in my tubes. So I'm really hoping that I have some fertilized eggs that are trying to make their way to my fluffy uterus!

I'm still on bedrest and Margot's taking Grammy to a Chinese New Year gig at the Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell.

I plan on taking a nap, doing some posts, and maybe watch some tv. I'll be shocked if I complete any one of those tasks!

Pregnancy Insurance?

I currently pay for COBRA insurance through my old job. The whole idea was because it offered infertility coverage I would just pay the high monthly premium until I got pregnant then switch over to Healthy NY.

One option that I actually looked into because I'm "not married" and have an income of less than $30,000 was Medicaid. However, if you have assets they actually put a lien on your house to cover the premiums. So if you ever end up selling the house the government would get a portion of the money to pay for the insurance.

It's a good idea to have insurance for pregnancy because you always hope for a healthy and safe pregnancy --- but sometimes you just never know.

HealthAdel.com offers some great information about insurance coverage along with many other health topics. The website is easy to navigate and has a search engine that will look up anything.

This post sponsored by: HealthAdel.com

3DPO or CD17

Today we went to CNY and I got checked out by Dr. K. He said that he has better pregnancy rates if someone hyperstimulates. I asked why and he didn't have many answers.

He hung out with us for a while and we joked about me shaving my legs on Day 3 because I believe it brings more estrogen to my cycle! He laughed.

My ovaries are still really big and there's quite a bit more fluid in my tummy but he didn't think it needed to be drained. I guess keep doing what I'm doing. He said I'm not feeling as bloated as I really am and that I have to take it easy or it will come back.

Also, he said that I could come in next Saturday for another u/s and bloodwork to see if I'm pregnant.

Time is going FAST!

Friday, February 23, 2007

We *heart* our pets.

We have two cats - Murphy and Peanut and a Miniature Pinscher - Bailey. We love our animals and I can't imagine them not being in our lives.

A couple of years ago Murphy was hiding under my car and a few miles from our house she tried to jump free. Well, I ended up feeling a bump, looked in my rear view mirror and turned around. Murphy was lying in the middle of a busy road and looked dead.

I picked her up and put her in my car. She was in a complete state of shock and she had actually bitten through her tongue with her teeth. Her leg looked broken and the whole drive to the Cornell Vet Hospital - she didn't move.

After $1,200 at the Cornell Vet Hospital -- we wish we had purchased pet insurance. At one point they wanted to do skin grafting at the tune of $5,000 but we just couldn't afford it.

Thank God, Murphy got better with time and a very caring Vet who saw her every few days.

But it's just sad to know that when our animals get hurt or ill that you might have to choose between going into debt and saving their lives. That's why we are seriously thinking about pet insurance these days through Stoneway Insurance. They offer affordable premiums and pretty good coverage.

This post sponsored by: Stoneway Insurance

Internet buddies.

I just got off the phone with one of my internet buddies. She cycled in Las Vegas when we were there and we met up. She has two kids and has also had a couple of miscarriages.

It's been great to talk to someone who's been there and done that. Unfortunately, it has to be infertility though.

We are currently both doing IUIs and talked about how we are dumbasses and have already peed on sticks shortly after insemination! I'm sure that we'll continue to pee on sticks until we get ones that work (positives of course!).

Young and the Rested.

That's how I feel after my two hour nap a few minutes ago! I've been watching television this morning and I've come across quite a few soap operas.

My mother used to be hooked on "All my Children" and "The Young and the Restless". She used to tape them and then play them back when she got home from work. She'd get so mad if the tape got eaten or if for some reason her soaps didn't tape.

Now there's a great way to catch up on information from your favorite soaps. Soap.com has a special website devoted to "The Young and the Restless"

The layout seems a little messy but overall I like the fact that on the left they have a toolbar with everything including: pictures, message boards, spoilers, and daily updates.

This post sponsored by: http://www.soaps.com/youngandrestless/

A day of rest and bad television

Today I'm at home on bedrest and I've been catching up on TiVo. I must say some of the crap I taped is ridiculous! Of course I have "Real World" and tons of episodes of "24" and "Supernanny".

I decided to take time out from "Suppernanny" since that's my life Monday through Friday!

The soaps in my life...

include Dove, Lever, and sometimes Irish Springs! I am probably the only life known to man that is not into soaps!

However, I have friends that are hooked on Days of our Lives. Soaps.com offers a website devoted to the soap.

The website seems very informative and offers everything from episode guides to message boards. It's a fan's dream! However, as a non-fan, I find it a bit thrown together and chaotic. It has advertising everywhere and banners streaming at the top which can make the website a little hard to follow at times.

I can certainly appreciate a good website that has information --- but it might be easier for viewers to find the information they need if it was laid out a little better.

Of course -- just my two cents! Check it out for yourself!

This post sponsored by: http://www.soaps.com/daysofourlives/

CD 16 - Feeling better!

This morning I feel like I really turned a corner. I woke up and I actually didn't feel as bloated. I slept great last night and was even able to sleep lying down.

Supposedly today the fertilized egg is traveling down the fallopian tubes and should be landing in the uterus either today or tomorrow.

I think it will help that I'm doing bedrest over the next few days. I hope the OHSS goes away completely because if I get pregnant --- it's going to just come back!

Thursday, February 22, 2007

I need a winter home...

I should really check out Dubai Properties for that perfect Winter Home. As I look outside there's over two feet of snow out and it's coming down again!

I'm tired of upstate New York weather and ready to move to a nice beachy place!

Dubai offers great beaches, has sun all year round, and what could be better than no taxes?

This post sponsored by: http://www.dubaiventure.co.uk/

Finding Nemo. Again.

I'm sitting here on bedrest and I swear I've seen "Finding Nemo" about 200 times! It seems to keep Grammy entertained and she just said "I watched Nemo today".

Now it's snowing out and almost 12:30pm. 1:00 gets here and it's NAP TIME! Yeah!!

See the birds with Nikon Binoculars!

Since we live so close to Cornell's Lab of Ornithology it is only appropriate for us to have a good pair of binoculars to see the many different species of birds in their sanctuary!

I actually took Graem to the Lab of Ornithology over the summer and she loved seeing the different birds. We also walked the trails and looked at the surroundings. They have these great Nikon Binoculars in the lab that you can use while viewing the birds behind the windows.

I would probably want the Nikon Action Extreme Binoculars. They appear to be very versatile and can be used in almost any setting.

Who knows...maybe that will be my Mother's Day gift! It's just around the corner and I think every family needs a good pair of binoculars.

I'm sure Margot would probably shop around and find that Eagle Optics offers the best selection, great customer service and even financing if she spends more than $200!



This post sponsored by: EagleOptics.com

Grammy.

I feel so sorry for Grammy. I'm sick, Margot's at work and she's sitting in front of the television most of the day today. AUGH. I have absolutely no energy and can barely even keep my eyes open.

I'll have to make it up to her when I'm feeling better. Maybe a fun sciencecenter or a trip to Chuck-E-Cheese! I think I owe her the Chuck-E-Cheese from her birthday!

Solutions!

Margot currently oversees the computer systems at her small Landscape Architecture firm. There's no need to hire a full time IT person so she troubleshoots most of the problems and if she can't figure it out they hire an IT consultant.

Over the years Margot has purchased over 50 computers for the office including servers and set up many networks. They currently have go through Cisco WiFi and that is the one thing that she doesn't have problems with!

One thing that Margot has learned through all of her computer purchases is that it's always better to get a product that has a good reputation for superior customer service and a quality product. That's why she always goes with Cisco.

Cisco offers: WiFi, VOIP, Video Conferencing, Secure Networking, and a Data Centre option.

For all of your computer and IT needs check out the Cisco website. Go with the best --- it will save you time and money in the long run!

This post sponsored by: Cisco

Holy Crap.

Well, yesterday after I got home from the insemination I started feeling worse and worse. I was short of breath, had major stomach cramping, and overall just felt horrible.

I called the doctor's office and they wanted me to go to the hospital. There they did bloodwork and put me on oxygen. They tested all of my electrolytes and everything came back normal.

I have Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome. It's caused from creating tons of eggs and having very high levels of estrogen.

Basically, what's happened is that because my ovaries are so huge it's cramming all of my internal organs higher in my body and not allowing my diaphram to full fill up and that's why I feel out of breath.

This morning I went to see the doctor and he said complete bedrest til Saturday. He did an ultrasound and bloodwork and saw that I have fluid in my stomach. He plans on draining that Saturday and I'm suppose to be monitoried a few times next week to make sure that this doesn't spiral out of control with hospitalization, etc.

I hope this isn't all for nothing and I get pregnant this cycle. Of course, if I'm pregnant the symptoms will get worse.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Take a chance?

Are you Jewish and having a hard time finding that special someone? Has your mother hooked you up with way too many losers?

Well, I've got the secret about one of the hottest new Jewish Dating websites out there. Jsingles offers profiles of single Jewish people looking for their soulmates. Many of the profiles have information and pictures.

The website is very easy to navigate and you can actually see a handful of profiles on the first page. You can join for free and I like the fact that you can search in your local area.

I'll have to let all of my single and Jewish friends know about this site! It's bound to save them time and money --- and hopefully their moms and aunts will leave them alone for a while!

This post sponsored by: JSingles.com

CD 14 - Insemination day

I still feel pretty crappy today. Not only am I going to the bathroom every 30 minutes but my stomach is so damn bloated. Again, I couldn't sleep on my belly.

Plus these headaches will not go away.

The doctor said that if I am short of breath or if I am gaining more than 5 pounds a day that I should call in cause I might need to be hospitalized.

She also said that if I do become pregnant that all the symptoms that I'm having now will become more pronounced.

Whatever it takes right?

Let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine!

When we moved into our house we really decided to do a lot of cosmetic things that would make a big difference. One important thing was changing all of the home lighting fixures - both inside and outside the house.

We purchased most of the through Lowes but they didn't have a great selection. ShopPremier online has a great selection of contemporary and traditional lighting.

ShopPremier's website is pretty easy to navigate through and they offer free shipping for orders over $100.

You really need to check this out for all of your lighting needs!

This post sponsored by: http://www.shoppremier.com

Full of sperm!

That's exactly how I feel right now! This morning we went into the doctor's office for an insemination. Just while sitting in the waiting room for 30 minutes I had to go to the bathroom 3 times. My ovaries are so big they are literally taking up all of the space in my tummy and making my bladder smaller.

Our boy, 2480, had 40 motile sperm this time. Which is absolutely unheard of for a frozen sample. So we are quite proud of him!

The insemmination went perfect and I didn't even realize that it was done! Most of the time Margot pushes the plunger of the syringe --- but this time Meg, the NP, did it.

She was super nice and hung out and answered all of our questions.

Tonight I start up Lovenox and then 12 days from today I go for my pregnancy test. Of course we all know that I'll start taking the home pregnancy tests in about 10 days!!!

Credit or credit?

We probably have 10 credit cards and only actively use about 3. Of course each card had different incentives when we opened them. I think we opened a few in college and only got a t-shirt out of the whole deal!

One credit card that seems to be the card for all your puchasing needs is the Mint Credit Card. The card currently offers 0% finance charges on transferred balances and purchases til December.

That's one of the best offers out there!

They also offer Mint Gift Cards which can be given to people on their birthdays, holidays, or special days. It's a gift card that can be used almost anywhere. You can add a balance and keep refilling the balance too. This is a great idea for the person that has everything!

This post sponsored by: Mint Credit Card

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

I already peed on a stick!

HEHEHEHE

I'm a pretty funny girl when it comes right down to it. I did my HCG shot last night and it was 3 months expired. So of course all last night I kept thinking "This would suck if I have a perfect lining, tons of eggs, and the damn HCG caused me not to trigger."

So, of course this morning first thing I took a home pregnancy test.

It was positive, btw.

These drugs are making me nuts.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Me wants.

I absolutely love a good massage and it has been way too long since I induldged. We have a friend who is a massage therapist and I keep hinting for her to give me a massage -- but either she's ignoring me or she's not up for the S. Black challenge.

Margot's dad has a massage chair from Brookstone and it's absolutely amazing. We sat in it for hours last time we visited. It worked out the knots in my mid and lower back and left me feeling great!

One massaging tool that I've had my eye on for a while is that OSIM iSqueez calf and foot massager. I've actually tried one at the airport during a layover and it was amazing!


I'm not sure I could buy one and not get one for myself! I would probably keep the iSqueez in the living room when I'm using it and store it away in the closet when I'm not. More than likely I would use the devise after my bath and when I'm sitting on the couch relaxing in front of the television.

Oh man, I really wish I had one now. Good thing I can hop online and buy it!

CD12

What more can I say than I feel like total shit. My head won't stop hurting and I'm having some major issues when it comes to seeing bright light.

I know it's my E2 that's through the roof...but that doesn't help me feel much better.

I'm just holding onto the thought that all of this crappyiness will lead to a baby in the end.

Tonight I do my HCG shot at 10:00pm tonight. That's a stingy shot that I do in my butt. I might have to get Margot's help with that one!

You want the best...

when dealing with legal issues. Whether you are the plaintiff or the defendant it is essential to have the best representing your interests.

There are some attorneys who will advertise on television or take out the back cover of the phone book. I can honestly say that those are the attorneys that you DO NOT want representing you!

I can't imagine actually meeting Jim "The hammer" or knowing that he's defending me. I would be biggest joke in town.

Instead, you want the firm that has the educated and experienced attorneys to take your case. You want to know that they have won big cases like yours and aren't going to go easy on the other guy. (If you're the plaintiff of course!)

Luftman Heck focuses on their clients needs. They are located in Columbus, Ohio and specialize in the following types of law: Estate Planning, Corporate Transaction, OVI/DUI, Criminal Defense, Traffic Offenses, Consumer and Bankruptcy Law, and Personal Injury. Their website is easy to navigate through and you can view each topic of law. You can also view attorney profiles to see what attorney might be best for your case.

Luftman Heck are members of the Ohio State Bar Association, Columbus Bar Association, American Bar Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, and The Better Business Bureau.

So if you're looking for the best --- give Luftman Heck a call!

This post sponsored by: Luftman Heck

I feel like poo.

Last night I slept so crappy. I can't lay on my belly because it's so sore. I feel like I have 200 eggs growing inside.

This morning I woke up and I feel so hungover and my head is killing me.

I went for my doctor's appointment in Syracuse for ultrasound and bloodwork and my numbers are definately up there! My ovaries were huge and it looks like the follicles are right where they need to be at 17-22mms. My lining is 11.8. They ran my E2 and I'll get those results tomorrow.

Of course Meg, the NP, warned me about risk of multiples and also said that I'll more than likely get Ovarian Hyperstimulation since I'm producing so many eggs and it looks like my estrogen levels are going to be through the roof.

That could explain why I feel so crappy.

I just finished picking up the house and I think it looks decent. I really want everything to be done Wednesday before the insemination because it's so hard for me to rest when I know that our house is a shithole.

If it weren't for our mortgage...

we would be wealthy! And homeless.

We currently have a fifteen year mortgage on our house that runs approx. $950 per month. That includes home insurance and our escrow school tax amount.

When we were in the market a few years ago we thought we had looked at all the different types of mortgages out there.

It looks like we might have missed one! One Account Mortgage offers mortgages with the idea that your mortgage acts as a checking and savings account. The whole premise is that they use that money to counteract your accumulating interest amount per month.

It sounds like a great idea and really I must ask myself -- what's the catch? There doesn't really seem to be a catch other than you're putting your money in one place and it might be harder at times to access than going to your local bank.

One Account Mortgage has a pretty good website with lots of information about their product and just general information about different types of mortgages out there.

Another plus to this account is that it seems like it is pretty flexible. You can make overpayments without penalty and also skip months if for some reason you are strapped for cash.

I've got to look into this more!

This post sponsored by: One Account Mortgage

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Last night of meds?

I think tonight is probably going to be my last night of STIMULATING MEDS! Tomorrow, I'll have one shot, get a few nights of no shots - then resume after the insemination is done.

It seems like this is all moving so fast. Which is a good thing.

I don't feel too bloated today and it seems that for the most part my headache has gone away.

Tomorrow I go for ultrasound and bloodwork and I'm guessing I'll be pretty full and my E2 levels will be at least 2,000 if not higher!

Dixie's dead.

I'm not into soaps at all. (Yes, despite the fact that I'm a stay-at-home mom!) But when I was a kid my mother was a fanatic about watching "All My Children". She would tape it on our VCR and the second she would walk in the door from a long day at work she would turn it on.

I just hopped on Soap.com and discovered that Dixie died in the last episode! I remember Dixie from over 25 years ago when I used to watch! She was about 25 then...so I'm wondering if she died at the age of 50 or if they kept replacing her with 20 year old actresses? At one point Dixie was married to Tad...but Tad got killed off too.

Soap.com does a pretty good job at the coverage of "All My Children". While the website is a little too busy for my overall liking. The content looks good and informative to avid soap opera watchers. It offers episode guides, spoilers, and even a message boards for fans to chat on!

God knows I don't need another addiction in my life so I probably shouldn't start watching soaps.

This post sponsored by: Soaps.com

ATE. TOO. MUCH.

We just got back from Thai Cuisine Dim Sum and between the 3 of us and Grammy -- we consumed over $100 of food. I wouldn't change a thing though!

My favorite is that nam sod. Ground chicken with ginger, basil, and lemon/lime juice over a bed of salad. It's just perfect and really good in the summer.

They also had their typical fried delights which we gnawed on. Margot and Dennis ate some sword steaks with a sweet tamarind sauce.

Grammy loved the pasta with ground chicken and the acorn squash pudding.

It was PERFECT and I just love all of the different flavors. It's a good thing they only offer Dim Sum on Sunday!

Get that man a woman...or man.

Margot's brother, Dennis, has turned into quite the mack-daddy. (That was the old school term we used when I was a kid, not sure what the equivalent is these days!)

He had two dates with one girl last week and mentioned that he might have another date with one of his co-workers in the upcoming week.

The hard thing for him of course is that he's spending way too much money on these girls! For the first two dates he dropped close to $200.

One thing that I have mentioned to him is that he should try online dating. That way he can talk to a girl online for a little while decides if he likes her and doesn't have to spend a dime.

If he does like her he can then take her out and wine and dine her.

It's kind of like doing a phone interview - then if the company likes you they call you in for a face to face!

JustSayHi offers a free online dating service. The great thing about it is that you can sit back and talk to someone while wearing your pajamas and if they are crazy just don't reply to their messages!

This post sponsored by:

My pleasure...

So today I got a rejection from PayPerPost because I was a dumbass and didn't put the anchor text as the link.

I must say that the people that work there are so damn nice. It almost makes me want to fuck up on my posts just to get a nice email.

Okay, I wouldn't go that far!

I finally got to sleep in!

Today I slept in til 10:00am. Graem woke up at 9:00am and Margot and Dennis watched her. The sleep was so needed. I've felt so super tired lately.

Last night I actually felt nauseaus. I think that's probably due to the meds.

Today we are going to head out to Thai Cuisine Dim Sum and then out sledding. It should be fun if I don't eat to much and then break my ankle sledding down the hill!

Going back to your roots...

We all have roots and sometimes it is good for us to remember when and where we started because it keeps us humble and helps us to relate to the people around us.

Even for people that do not have the best of roots there is something that we have taken from those times that have formed the people that we are today.

Peter Belisi is a fashion designer and creates some beautiful pieces of art. Here is the story of Peter Belisi - How it started.



In the article Peter talks about how he was a bartender working at an elite Palm Beach Bar. He was married with a newborn baby at home and just trying to survive. He always had a flare for fashion and as a bartender he demonstrated that at work.

Many people would comment on his style, dress, and taste of clothing. Soon after that Peter realized that he might have a "gift." The gift to make people look fabulous!

He later decided to invest all of his money into the fashion industry and supporting his own designer line. Peter believes that it's the accessories that can make the outfit spectacular.

He currently has a very clean and contemporary blend of ties and scarfs available where he combines quality and comfort into one product. Most recently Peter has introduced handbags which seem to be hitting the market with a *bang*!

This post sponsored by: Peter Belisi

CD 11

I think tonight will probably be my last night of meds. I've already gained like 7 pounds. EEK! I have a feeling that my follies are growing much slower this time around since more than likely I will be inseminating on CD 14.

That's a good thing of course cause it means that hopefully, the eggs will be mature and healthy.

When you stimulate the ovary too fast it can produce immature eggs and many times lead to no pregnancy or a miscarriage.

I read the other night that caffeine does not affect pregnancy or implantation so I sucked down my vat of coffee this morning. Mmm....yummy.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Peter Belisi, you're looking sharp!

Belisi has become a staple in the fashion industry. Peter Belisi believes in beauty and functional design for any occassion. His clean cut styles make his fashions a beautiful sight.



Belisi's Sharp by Design Blog gives people the edge that they need to stay ahead and look top notch. On the blog he gives advise and suggestions on how to look your best.

His most recent article is hints and helpful information on what to get that special someone for Valentine's Day. Of course, not everyone can afford the executive jet for $48 million dollars!

Another article on Peter's blog is "How to date out of your league." It gives a few tips on how to "look the part." The advise is mostly common sense --- but sometimes I think guys need to hear it!

This post sponsored by: Belisi

Uh oh...pee pee in the snow suit!

Graem just ran in the door screaming "pee pee, mommy!" Of course, she's layered up in three layers of clothing!

DaDa, Margot, and Grammy have spent all morning playing outside and building a snow fort.

I'm glad my ass has been planted here on the couch blogging.

I wouldn't want to get cold!

The good ole' Texas girl in me!

Being that I'm from Texas I have it in my blood to appreciate some good Country Bands!

Since, we live in Ithaca, New York --- we don't really have access to the newest country music or even some bands that might not have made it big.

That's why I like to go to Unsigned.com. You can visit their website and see all of the unsigned artists that offer some pretty good music.

They offer many different types of music: rock, hip hop, grunge, metal, jazz, and country.

This is actually a great way for a person like me (who lives in the sticks) to listen to all of the new undiscovered bands out there!

This post sponsored by: Unsigned.com

Chili Festival!

Today is the Ithaca Chili Festival and boy am I excited. The only part that sucks is waiting in line for two delicious bites of chili. Not to mention it's ass cold outside.

I think we've come up with a good strategy though. We all go to a different line and then get 4 cups each. That way we can get back together and share out cups!

Brilliant!

You are beautiful.

From a fashion standpoint I see many different things as beautiful. Sometimes, the simple clothing with a flair for contemporary style is beautiful. Other times I find natural tan and white, loose fitting clothing that flows breathtaking.

Belisi designs everything from neckwear to radio lineups. He's the top name in the fashion industry and become a household name among the stars. I like his simple looks, perfect use of bright colors, and clean style.


Belisi asks "What's Beautiful to You?"
From a personal and family aspect -
I love seeing my two year old daughter the first thing when I wake up. To see her lying next to me and saying "Mama, wake up" or "Mama, I love you." It's absolutely beautiful and has even made me cry on occassion. What a great way to wake up in the morning, right?

The day that Margot gave birth to Graem was the most amazing and beautiful day of my life. I will remember every minute of seeing our daughter for the first time and catching her in my hands.

From a nature aspect -
I love seeing the sun shine on a newly made snow and snow outlining the trees. I also think it's beautiful to see a yellow moon shine low in the sky.

This post sponsored by: Peter Belisi

CD 9 Ultrasound and Bloodwork

I'm going back a day because last night I was just way too tired to post!

I have some good news though. I had some great follies during my ultrasound. I had one that was 22 which probably won't be good by insemination. But I had a good 12 or so that were 10-14mms. Those are the ones that will more than likely be mature.

I was told to reduce meds to 225 gonal-f and 75 repronex. Then I have an appointment Monday, trigger Monday night, and insemination Wednesday!

YAH! It's nice to know that things are going pretty good this cycle.

Oh, my lining measured 11.7mms. Which is good. It's suppose to be anywhere from 9-13mm.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Good ole' Valentine's Day.

For Valentine's Day we didn't really do much. We're pretty boring people when it comes right down to it. It was somewhat of a flop this year. But we are making up for it by doing a nice spa package or going on a nice vacation over the next few months!

Two weeks before Valentine's I had purchased Margot a nice pan at TJ-Maxx. I also ended up purchasing myself my own Valentine's Day gift - a bottle of Ralph Lauren Blue (1/2 price of course)!

Here is what's going on in the world of BELISI on Valentine's Day! Check out the *bling*bling* laid down to enjoy Valentine's Day in this article. I'm not sure I could pay $40 per bottle of "H20 Bling water".

I think I'll stick with my 1/2 price perfume - at least it will be around for longer than 2 minutes!

Oh the joys of being a sub!

Today I went to my subbing assignment and come to find out -- the teacher doesn't "teach" til 10:45. Then she's a glorified hall monitor for an hour, has an hour lunch and teaches three one hour classes. Then I'm out by 2:45pm.

This teaching thing really isn't so bad after all! Now, if I could just find a way to not be around the teenagers.

I thought you paid the mortgage? Oops?!

Thank God Margot takes care of all of our finances and that our bills and mortgage gets paid on time. (The grace period counts as on time!)

A few years ago we decided to refinance our house. The rates were at an all time low and we realized that home mortgage refinancing was the smart thing to do financially.

We had to get our house reappraised and since we had done so many home improvements the house was appraised for $20,000 more than we purchased it for. So instantly, we were vested enough to where we didn't have to pay the PMI insurance.

Then we haggled with the bank and got a great rate on a 15 year mortgage. We ended up paying $200 more per month -- but lost 15 years of payments!

If you are looking at home mortgage refinance make sure to research the different types and also look at all of the institutions. Being an educated buyer can save you a lot of money in the long run!

This post sponsored by: http://www.personalhomeloanmortgages.com

American Idol Rewind?

Okay, I love American Idol -- but this new show "American Idol - Rewind" is the dumbest damn show I've ever seen in my life. It's a show about a show! They have people that absolutely suck and I guess the one person that they choose from the Rewind show will advance to the American Idol.

STUPID.

Podcasts!

Those three hour trips to and from Syracuse for doctor's appointments are quite tedious. One thing that we have yet to do is download free podcasts for our iPod.

MyPodCast offers some great podcasts for you to listen to. Their selections range from interviews with hockey stars to lessons on knitting!

Maybe I can actually find some lessons on speaking Spanish!

This post sponsored by: MyPodCast.com

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Another snow day!

Today the schools have been called off again and so there are no cars outside or buses! We didn't get much snow last night and the snow we has has piled over 4 feet!

I doubt I'll get a subbing job tomorrow cause I can't imagine after 2 days of snow day that teachers will have the balls to call in on a Friday!

Show me the $

I love to make money blogging! It's become one of my favorite pasttimes. Especially when it's snowy out and I can't do anything else! The other day I was on the computer most of the day waiting for that "perfect" money making opp!

PayPerPost has started doing something called segmentation. It basically uses a couple of different factors including: Google page rank, type of blog, demographics, and tack rate. The whole idea is to provide advertisers with an option to target their advertising.

When I do advertising for my business I always look at what audience I'm trying to attract as well as the cost involved. I'd much rather spend more money on advertising to target it to a certain audience.

The great thing is with the segmentation is that you might be the blog that gets offered $1,000 to write a post because your blog is so specialized and that's what the advertiser is looking for! There are tons of opps out there that are paying big bucks and I've been eligible for a few of them.

I guess I'm just waiting to hit the motherload - aka $1,000 post!

One thing I can appreciate about PPP is that they are doing business smart and not trying to make too much money too fast. They charge a 35% service charge to their advertisers compared to the 100% service charge that competitors such as ReviewMe charge.

As an advertiser I'd want to know that I'm working with a professional, consistent, and developed paid for blogging company --- I'd choose PPP in a second.

Snowed in - AGAIN.

Okay, I think I'm going nutzo. Because aside from being very hormonal and feeling like crap...I'm stuck inside. I can't even go shopping or spend money.

I also have had a headache for 3 days now.

Good thing I just baked 12 cupcakes to help me feel better.

Let's make money together!

I'm sure you've caught on by now that I'm doing Pay Per Post (PPP) on this website. Over the past few weeks I have already made a few hundred dollars! The extra money has really helped with paying for odds and ends around the house including a $300 heat bill!

PPP is now offering a program for bloggers to put a tab at the bottom of their post so that you (the reader) can view my post and then review it on your own blog! Once, you click the button you must sign up for Pay Per Post then there will be an oppourtunity for you to "Review my Post". It'll be a $7.50 opp! Then once you have posted I will get $7.50 too!

From an advertising aspect this is the newest advertising trend. Advertisers get a real bang for their money when they do PPP or other online blog advertising. Many companies have seen that by being able to advertise on blogs they can capture audiences that they might not have been able to reach with past advertising campaigns.

This program is also great for people who have a blog but might not be comfortable doing "paid sponsorships" with Pay Per Post. They can just put the link at the bottom of all of their blog entries and be eligible for the affiliation program that way.

It's really a cool program and you know I'm game for anything that will add money to my paypal account!

I'm new at this whole Pay Per Post thing...but I already LOVE it! I just can't believe it's so easy to make money!

Why didn't I sign up earlier?!?!



Bad sleep last night.

Last night I felt like I was constantly tossing and turning. I just couldn't get comfortable. Not to mention my one hour break in the middle of the night where I got up and hopped online!

This morning at 7:00am came pretty early. Why can't Graem sleep in til at least 8:00am?

CD8 - I'm losing it! *GRAPHIC*

So, I've really been trying to journal my cycles so that I can look back and see what prior happened on the same day in prior months.

I figure the best way to do this of course is posting in the internet through my blog and journal to the world.

(Lucky you).

So one thing that I've been experiencing aside from being a total bitch, headaches, and ovary cramps is major discharge!

Sometimes it's as if I just wet myself. I asked the nurse last time and she said that it's a good sign and it just means that my estrogen is going up.

I guess I should be happy that it feels like I'm incontinent??

Yikes!

So we are guilty of not doing anything for Valentine's Day for each other. The good thing though is that I still have a few hours (using west coast time!) to come up with that perfect Valentine's sentiment.

I've got the perfect, sexy, romantic, and funny idea -- an E-card from EGreetings.com! They offer a free 30 day trial membership and after that if I choose to become a member it's only $13.99 per year.

Plus, I can make a card personalized just for Margot to include animation and even pictures of Grammy and me!

What better way to say "I love you" than to see something like this:


I just hope admist all of the humor that Margot can hear Cupid's best pickup lines.

Not only does E-Greetings offer great Valentine's Day Cards but they also specialize in birthday, holiday, and just everyday "Thinking of you cards."

One thing that I can appreciate with the membership is that you can actually set up your cards to deliver on the day of your loved ones birthday, anniversary, or special day by doing it months in advance! That way there's no excuses and you'll be the good guy when you remember!

This post sponsored by: EGreetings.com

Why is everyone yelling at me?!?

I totally feel out of control on these meds. It feels like I have a constant headache that I really can't get rid of. Tonight Margot burned herself while cooking, burned herself while in the shower, stubbed her toe, and got bitten by Graem - all four times she yelled bloody murder.

This of course was magnified by 1,000 since Graem was in a crappy mood and has started screaming when she throws a tantrum.

So, I feel like everyone's yelling at me!! Of course, I'm sure that the 2 day headache that's induced by these infertility drugs isn't helping at all.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Ultrasound and Bloodwork today - CD 7

I was going to do my bloodwork and ultrasound tomorrow but decided to go ahead and get it done today. Margot was home with Graem and it was a ghost town at the hospital due to all of the snow!

My u/s went good as far as I know. They basically sent the report to CNY and I couldn't even see the monitor! All I know is that it took her forever to do all of the measurements and so I'm guessing that I had a lot of good looking follicles.

My lining was 12. Which is really good. I just hope it stays nice and fluffy til the insemination!

My E2 was 450 or something like that. That is just a tad bit lower than it was this time last cycle.

So, I feel that I'm on track to have another good cycle. I wouldn't mind if things slowed down a little and I got a little bit more "quality" eggs this time.

God, I hope this works.

I'm going to do this next time...

I always have to purchase the newest and best phone each year or every two years when we renew our cell phone contract. Typically I pay anywhere from $100-$300 extra just to have the new "in" phone.

That's absolutely ridiculous when you think about it! I purchased my RAZR last year and come to find out 6 months later you can get them free with a two year contract.

Now, there's a way to avoid spending tons of money on new phones.

Check out Wirefly on Ebay! They offer great deals on the exact same phones that you can purchase in the stores for big money.

They actually have my Pink RAZR on their site. The great thing about purchasing it from Wirefly and E-Bay is that you don't have to sign into a contract. So you can get on a one year contract or even month to month with some providers.

They also offer the Pink Motorola Bluetooth headset that I've been drooling over for some time. It's about $20 less than it is at the Verizon store!



Obviously, one way to get a free phone is to sign up for a two year contract through Wirefly.com - but that's not the best solution for everyone. If you're looking for little or no commitment check out the great phones Wirefly offers on Ebay.



This post sponsored by: http://myworld.ebay.com/wireflymobile/

Have I mentioned how much I love CNY Fertility?

After going to SIRM, LV and dealing with that highly incompetant staff I can wholeheartdly appreciate the love and caring atmosphere at CNY Fertility.

The staff is always friendly when we walk in the door, the nurses are always knowledgeable, the setting is beautiful, and the doctor is approachable and kind.

I hope this IUI or the next IVF works with them because I'd really like for them to follow me. Plus, who knows -- we might go for a number #3 or #4!!!

Hook me up!

Each month we get our bill from Verizon and it seems like we are being charged more and more! Also, it seems like each year our plan has less and less minutes and other features.

What's up with that?!?!

That's why this upcoming year we will really start looking at all of our options and possibly switch providers.

T-Mobile has been one service that we have not tried yet and I'd be willing to give them a try. I know from their advertisements on television that they have great deals.

The question is do they have good reception all the way out in Trumansburg, New York?

One incentive they currently have is receive $50 T-Mobile rebate when signing up for an their cellular phone services online. Plans eligible start at $34.99 per month. This deal is good through March 31, 2007.

One thing that I can appreciate is the great selection of cell phones that T-Mobiles carries! Tmobile phones come in different colors, styles, and sizes!

I currently have the baby pink RAZR but I wouldn't be opposed to switching to a nice I-Phone when they come out in June!

Get connected with T-Mobile -- and act now to get the rebates and discounts available!


This post sponsored by: http://www.wirefly.com/plans/t-mobile/

SNOW!

I love the white fluffy stuff. But only if I know that I can't leave the house! We were due to get a ton of snow and the schools have actually closed. I looked out a few minutes ago and we probably had about 5 inches and it was still snowing.

My subbing gig has already been cancelled and so has Grammy's daycare.

Guess we got a decent amount and it's a SNOW DAY!!

I love a good mag!

And that of course includes that annual Sports Illustarted Swimsuit Issue. It's always been a quality magazine filled with beautiful women. Not to mention the swimsuits are pretty nice too!

Today is the big day for the release of the magazine and for those bachelors out there I'm sure this will be their Valentine's Date this evening!

Sports Illustrated has an amazing history of providing provocative and lusty swimsuit issues! My favorite of course being the issue that had paintings of swimsuits on the models.

You can now download your favorite wallpapers onto your cell phone for $1.99 each. These wallpapers are photos taken directly from the magazine and I'm sure they are hot!

This years issues has beautiful girls like Heidi Klum and my all-time favorite Marisa Miller.

All I want for Valentine's Day is the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue!





This post sponsored by: http://www.simobileswimsuit.com/

CD7 - What's going on down there?!?!

Last night I laid on the couch and I felt like my ovaries were exploding! I really could feel them expand and it almost hurt. Nothing too bad.

I'm going to try and see if I can get my bloodwork and ultrasound moved to today since my school got cancelled and this was the day I was suppose to go in.

I'm hoping that people have cancelled because they don't want to go out in the snow.

At least if I go in and do u/s and b/w they can tell me to slow down if my follicles are growing to fast!

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

It's all Greek to me!

My cousin, Laura, is a senior at The University of Texas and the very active in the Greek community there. She's a member of Phi Chi Theta which is a business sorority. Her chapter is actually a great group of people and I met up with them a few years ago in Austin.

Because she is extremely loyal to her sorority and they wear gear every Thursday at school I purchased her a sorority t-shirt for her birthday which was in August.

I ended up purchasing the t-shirt online after tons of searching for the perfect gift. I went to GreekT-shirts.com and found the perfect shirt! She actually told me which style she wanted and I picked the color, design, and even stitch!

There are so many different types of Greek shirts and so I was glad that she gave me an idea of what she wanted!

When she got the t-shirt she absolutely LOVED it and even took a picture of her wearing the shirt and sent it to us!

The great thing is ... I know what to get her from here on out for her birthday or Christmas!

This post sponsored by: http://www.greekt-shirts.com

Hootchie Cootchie - CD 6

Well, I must admit that I've been feeling my ovaries and follicles getting bigger! I know that's crazy but it feels like they are expanding as I speak! Almost like a little throb and then it stops.

I can feel that the right ovary is getting bigger and I think that might actually be the one with the 10 follicles.

*cluck*cluck*cluck* I feel like a chicken trying to produce some good eggs!

Addiction.

I obviously have battled addiction of food for the past few years. Many times even when I try hard...I just can't get food out of my mind. I think about meal after meal and it's really been a struggle.

Lately, I've started getting back on track and eating better in hopes that it will increase my chances of getting pregnant.

Everyone has their own battle and just like my addiction to food my friend Jamie is addicted to alcohol and cocaine. She drinks almost every night and has really used alcohol and cocaine as a crutch for many of her problems.

When she's in a social setting you'll always see her with a beer or other mixed drink in her hand. She can't do without it and I didn't realize she had a problem until I ran into her mother the other day at the grocery store.

Come to find out Jamie went to a drug treatment center about 6 months ago and she just got out a few weeks ago.

Her mother said that she's slowly getting back on her feet but each day is a struggle.

Jamie's mom mentioned that she went to the Stone Hawk program in Michigan. She said that it's a really nice facility and the staff was firm but also caring. Which was just what Jamie needed.

I gave Jamie's mother our home phone number and urged her to give it to Jamie.

God knows we all have our own demons and if we can be a friend to Jamie during her time of need I'm sure she'll get stronger.

This post sponsored by: Stone Hawk

My damn back.

My back has been killing me lately. At first I was having pain right between my shoulder blades and I went to PT last week and he was able to work that out.

This morning as I was brushing my teeth I felt charlie horses on the sides of my back. I had a Physical Therapy appointment anyway he was able to work on the muscular parts of my back where the pain was from.

My Physical Therapist is out for the week so I hope I don't need him while he's gone!

Busy days lately

It seems like each day this week we are have something planned. Tomorrow I have a Physical Therapy appointment at the hospital at 10:00am.

After that we're coming home and more than likely spending most of the day at home. There is a winter snow advisory starting at 3:00pm and we are suppose to get nailed with 8-16 inches of snow!

I absolutely love snow days...not just because it means "no work" (not that it matters to me) but because it means that Margot has the chance of coming home early or not going to work!

Of course, Wednesday morning is going to come early enough because I have to sub and my day starts at 6:00am or so! So if it snows - I hope it's enough to call of school or for us to have a short day!

Here are a few pics of Grammy for your viewing pleasure:


This is how we spend a good portion of our days, sipping tea on the toilet.



Grammy on her best behavior during my lunch hour.

Calling out to all the world...

We have recently looked into telephone alternatives. Mainly because having long distance in our area costs so much monthly and there is just a surcharge whether you use the service. You have to pay $7.50 per month, plus up to 35 cents per minute.

Right now we are using our cell phones and have gone over in minutes a few times(which is truly dangerous!).

I have a friend who subscribes to Vonage and seems to be really happy with their services and it seems like a very popular way to have phone service these days.

Vonage currently has a special online offer where you pay $24.99 (plus taxes and fees) per month for local and long distance. You can sign up online or call a 1-800 number.

That's less than we are currently paying for our phone service and we only get local calls!

This post sponsored by: Vonage

It's 1:48 in the morning and I'm awake!

What's up with that?

Actually, I woke up cause I had to go to the bathroom. I feel like it's all starting over again! Every time I start on the stim medication it seems like my ovaries enlarge and there's no room for my bladder which means that I have to pee every 42 minutes.

Not to mention it might make me a little tweaky at times.

Thank God there's the internet and hopping on PayPerPost to make a little midnight dinero!

Monday, February 12, 2007

Think smart!

Being a small business owner I meet many of my clients at their house and on occassion at our house. We've talked in the past about expanding and at some point actually renting space somewhere if my business ever grew.

Executive Office Suites offers beautiful and professional business settings for companies to call "home". One of their featured suites is The Hughes Center which is right next to the strip in Las Vegas. The building is upscale and includes granite, stone, and is a glass building.

BusinessSuites.com offers many great spaces for businesses. You can see them online and many of them even show pictures of the buildings and space inside.

This post sponsored by: BusinessSuites.com

I must admit...

I'm psyched! I can actually appreciate the fact that we are going into a cycle. I have a somewhat newfound hope that this could actually work and I could end up pregnant.

Of course, if it does work I'm sure I'll be skeptical of it actually sticking.

But one day at a time...right?

Need help getting pregnant, again?


It seems like I constantly provide my friends and family with information to get them pregnant. Now, if I could just listen to my own advise.

Many of the women that I have befriended on the internet boards have their tubes tied and have decided to go the route of invitro. Many times they got their tubes tied for their first marriage and divorced. They ended up remarrying and the women have decided they wanted to have more children with their new husband.

There are also many other women who are considering tubal reversal.

The good thing about either of these procedures is that the woman has proven fertility in most cases - therefore, the pregnancy rates and chance of success is very high.

Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center has posted some new pregnancy rates and other information that might be helpful for women who would like to conceive but have had their tubes tied in the past. Their rates are really great - considering that most invitro fertilization rates are approx 30% - 40% per try.

This post sponsored by: http://www.tubal-reversal.net/tubalreversal_pregnancy_rates.htm

Life is SO good!

I got the call about my bloodwork and just as I had assumed my progesterone levels had dropped drastically and I'm in perfect shape!

Glad, I took matters into my own hands and decided to start my meds Friday. Thank GOD!!!

I was somewhat worried about the cycle because I just want everything to be perfect and I don't want there to be any reason why this doesn't work or I miscarry again. I know I can't stop the inevitable...but I can at least try?

They want me to go for an ultrasound Wednesday and Friday. I figure I can do these after my subbing gig.

Wow...I forgot how hectic and busy these appointments keep us! Now we are doing them in Ithaca --- it still seems hectic!

I hate bad guys.

I remember walking into the house when I was younger and running to the back of the house to deactivate the burglar alarm system. Our code always stayed the same. There was really something comforting about having the alarm system. I knew that the house was safe when I heard the alarm go beep a certain way.

Orlando Home Security System is a GE Security Pro Authorized Dealer. They offer systems on contract and non-contract.

Their website is easy to use and you can even request information about the systems and services that they offer.

If I lived in a place other than Trumansburg, New York - I wouldn't think twice about getting a security system. I know from experience that it provides peace of mind and you know that your family is safe.

This post sponsored by: http://www.sentinelsecurityfl.com/residential.php

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Rash

Graem has some itchy looking, sandpaper rash all over her body! I have no idea what it is but it looks really painful.

She has been a real turd this weekend and I don't know if it's due to the rash or if she's just hitting a new "milestone".

I'm going to take her to the doctor tomorrow and hopefully, they'll be able to shed some light on all of this.

Spend Valentine's alone?

If you are alone this Valentine's Day then do something about it!

I am so thankful for the internet and online dating -- cause of course that's where I met Margot and that was over ten years ago!

We me through a chat room on IRC. She was in New York and I was in Texas. We traveled back and forth for about 8 months then I decided to move up here for the summer and decided not to go back to Texas. And, well...the rest is history!

Online dating is one of the most popular ways to meet people. The great thing about meeting people online is that if they are crazy then you don't have to spend money or more than 5 minutes talking/chatting with them! You can simply move onto the next person.

JustSayHi offers Free Online Dating Services. The site is easy to navigate and really easy to sign up with. You can build a profile and include pictures. The best thing about it is that it's FREE and you never have to submit a credit card or other personal information.


Check it out today -- you might be able to score a date before Valentine's!

This post sponsored by: JustSayHi.com
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