Side by Side

Thought that it would be neat to see my prego by side by side from one pregnancy to the next.  Here I am at 12 weeks pregnant with Little Boy Blue and 12 weeks currently.  I could not find a 12 week picture with Ren Pen :(

Clearly I am holding the camera in picture #2, so it is much more up close than with #1, but hey, you get the idea :)

12 weeks and counting

As of yesterday, I am officially 12 weeks pregnant!  I had my first official prenatal appointment with the back up midwife for my homebirth a little less than 2 weeks ago!  We were able to get a good strong heartbeat on the fetal doppler!

I finally feel like I have some energy, which is a good thing, because my house and kids were paying the price.  I am excited to start feeling the baby move in the next month or two (I can usually feel my babes by 16 weeks)!!!

Wondering where I am?

If you have been wondering if I am alive, the answer is yes.  If you have been wondering where the heck I am... the answer is, asleep.  OK, I am not really asleep much, but I am extremely exhausted because of this...

We are expecting baby #3!  I am just over 10 weeks based on my LMP (although I do not think that my dating is accurate).  I am feeling pretty good, just really tired and crampy.  I am meeting with my midwife next week and praying for a good strong heartbeat.  We are planning on a homebirth this go round and I am SO excited!!!  I will keep you all updated as we go along!

Money & Marriage: A Complete Guide for Engaged or Newly Married Couples Blog Tour

Matt Bell's (a.k.a Matt About Money) Money & Marriage has just been released (NAVPress) and is a great resource for engaged or newly married couples. Matt says about the book, “I wrote “Money & Marriage” because I believe in marriage. I’m sure it isn’t news to you that money is a very common source of stress between spouses. It’s even a primary factor in many divorces. I wrote this book with no less of a goal than to save many marriages from disaster, and to help all couples use money in a way that strengthens their relationship and increases their joy.”
 
To celebrate Matt has put together a Nest Egg Giveaway with a prize package worth over $250!  

One winner will receive:
•    A Free 1 Hour Financial Session
•    A $100 Visa Cash Card
•    A signed copy of Matt’s Money, Purpose, Joy and
Money Strategies for Tough Times

To enter just click one of the icons below. Then tell your friends. And hurry
- the contest ends April 11th. The winner will be announced on Matt's blog on April 13th.

 

About the Author:  Matt began his career as a radio journalist, with his work featured on National Public Radio, the NBC Radio Network, and several other networks. His reporting earned national awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and United Press International.

 

Today, Matt is a full-time personal finance writer and speaker. He is the author of two books: "Money, Purpose, Joy" (September 2008) and "Money Strategies for Tough Times" (April 2009), both by NavPress. Matt has been quoted in USA TODAY, U.S. News and World Report, the Chicago Tribune, and Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, has written for ChristianityToday.com, and has been a guest on WGN-TV and several nationally syndicated radio talk shows.

Matt holds a Master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from DePaul University, where he wrote a thesis about the emergence of America's consumer culture and its influence on people's beliefs and behaviors.

Matt lives with his wife and their three young children in the Chicago area. Visit his website and blog at www.mattaboutmoney.com.

My Review:  I think that this book would really help to open up the eyes of many engaged and newlywed couples.  I know that had Hubs and I taken the time to sit down and really discuss money before marriage that we would have likely gone into our marriage more aware of each others spending habits, which would have possibly made for a smoother transition into marriage.  I certainly recommend this book to any couple that is preparing to get married, newly married, or needing to sit down and really examine their money habits with one another.  I appreciate that Matt provides many spreadsheets to help you sit down and discuss money.  I know that in my marriage, money is a tough subject at times, it is easy to become defensive over for sure.  I defiantly understand the value of having a structured method of which to discuss finances with your partner! 

To read other reviews go to : http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13162540




Be sure to pick up a copy of Money & Marriage – important principles
whether you're newly engaged or just celebrated your 30th anniversary.

Disclaimer / Disclosure: While I was supplied with the item(s) reviewed, I was not compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own!. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tide

Hubs and I have been talking about this movie since we first saw that it was coming out!  I am so excited to get to see Johnny Depp in yet another Pirates of the Caribbean movie!!!  We are optimistic that Disney will pull off a stealer movie even without Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley (sad to not see them).  Enjoy this wonderful sneak peek :)

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Rob Marshall, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” captures the fun, adventure and humor that ignited the hit franchise—this time in Disney Digital 3D™. Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in an action-packed adventure. Crossing paths with the enigmatic Angelica (Penélope Cruz), he’s not sure if it’s love—or if she’s a ruthless con artist who’s using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the “Queen Anne’s Revenge,” the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn’t know whom to fear more: Blackbeard or Angelica, with whom he shares a mysterious past. The international cast includes franchise vets Geoffrey Rush as the vengeful Captain Hector Barbossa and Kevin R. McNally as Captain Jack’s longtime comrade Joshamee Gibbs, plus Sam Claflin as a stalwart missionary and Astrid Bergès-Frisbey as a mysterious mermaid.

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) finds himself on an unexpected journey to the fabled Fountain of Youth when a woman from his past (Penélope Cruz) forces him aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane).