Hump day, bump day (& an anniversary)!

bV is the size of a grapefruit!
At about 10.5 to 11.8 inches and about 12.7 to 20.8 ounces, baby's not just getting bigger, she's getting even cuter.

bV at 23 weeks: 
She's forming little nipples (yeah, really!) Her face is fully formed now -- she just needs a little extra fat to fill it out. She's listening to your voice and your heartbeat -- and even to loud sounds like cars honking and dogs barking. (& her brother telling her stories - more on that tomorrow!)
via thebump.com

In semi-related news, today is my Mom and Dad's 37th wedding anniversary. Listen, 37 years is a long ass time. I don't even know that I will like myself in 37 years. What I'm saying is that they're awesome -- a genuinely amazing example of love, marriage and all the hard work (and fun!) it takes to make it on this crazy adventure we call marriage.

And for the record? They're still as weirdly perfect together as ever. Dad's hair has gotten significantly (ahem) lighter and Mom's is significantly (ahem) chemically enhanced...but they're still the same lovebirds! Just with a few more years behind them, a few more grandbabies to brag about, and lots more adventures to still have!

House update!

We're cruising right along...the bricks have been delivered and the insulation went in yesterday. We went to the slabbery (preeeetty sure this is not the offish name) and selected our actual counter top slabby-dos. This was a very interesting trip filled with lackluster customer service and really heavy cranes. Very odd. I'm guessing they will start on drywall today, and the builder told us the brick guy is coming tomorrow. However, I'm headed to my parents' tonight for a wedding so we'll all have to rely on Joey for pics. Got that, dear?

I hope to have mega super ultra exciting update pics to show on Monday that include actual walls and a brick exterior. On second thought, I might still be hungover from the wedding, so perhaps we'll delay that until Tuesday. Mmmkay?

Get in my bell-ay.

So this 30 before 30 thing is really starting to have an impact on my waistline. For those new in town, I vowed in August of last year when I ate at my first EPIC food truck to eat at 29 more of them before I turned the dirty thirty. This happens on December 7 of this year, and I'm proud to say I've only got 10 more to go.

Minneapolis was a metropolis of food trucks. A mecca. A smorgasbord. However, when we discovered them downtown (literally parked 20 in a row down every street), we learned they are only downtown Monday-Friday for the business crowd. IT WAS FRIDAY. WE WERE LEAVING SUNDAY. Which meant my opportunity to consume all the goodness was slipping through my fingers.

So, we mustered up everything we had and went back to the hotel room to nap and prepare our innards for extreme consumption.

And then, two hours later, we did the impossible...

The sad thing is, looking back on those pictures just makes me hungry, when it should make me hurt. Hurt so good.

The next day was the wedding, and we got all fancy 'n stuff and had a DELIGHTFUL evening. I can't believe I didn't get a photo with the bride and groom, but whatever. We looked just as good.

In related news, I discovered a new and delicious drink that I implore you all to try. I call it "Tequila Ginger." It's tequila (duh), ginger ale (duh) and a splash of Sprite. I may or may not have had about 5 TGs by the time I took that last photo, which is why it may or may not look like I'm having a graaaaaaaaand time. Because I totally was.

And that, my friends, is Minneapolis in a nutshell. I promise we'll be back!

A house & a wedding.

They backfilled yesterday! It was so super weird to stand on our lot without the giant piles/mounds of dirt thinking, "This is where Alex will play. This is where Joey will mow the lawn. This is where I will sunbathe."  Let's be honest, here. I don't get down and dirty with the yard work because that? Is a hard job. It's literally in our marriage contract that I do not do hard jobs. See also: taking out the garbage, lifting heaving things, reaching things on high shelves, and other miscellaneous tasks that require manual labor and/or excessive sweating.

So fab, yes? Anyway, we're off to Minneapolis tomorrow morning for the wedding of our very dear friends, Mark & Kelly. This means I will have accomplished two things on my life list: get Marky-Mark married and visit the Mall of America. Multitasking, what?!

Four years.

Four years ago today, I stood in front of God, friends and family and promised you faithfulness, friendship and forever.

Not a day goes by that I'm not thankful for every minute of my life that lead me to you. Every good decision, every bad decision, every twist and turn that got me here. I'm blessed. I'm thankful. I'm happy. I'm complete.

Thank you for building a life with me - for building our family on a foundation of faith, laughter, adventure, partnership and promise. I love you more every day.

I do. I did. And I'd do it all over again.

On Saturday Joe and I had the pleasure of attending a wedding reception at the same location ours was held almost 4 years ago. It was quite magical to be there, watching another couple with stars in their eyes...starting on a journey that will change them, challenge them, and teach them to love like they've never loved before.

It gave me chills a few times, to be honest. Or maybe that was the open bar, I just can't be sure.

Like I said...possibly the open bar.

Anyway, the wedding was beautiful. And the reception was such fun! They thought of every little detail...from a super rad DJ to a self-serve candy bar that Willy Wonka himself would have been proud of. And they rented a photo booth! Gah...that was so much fun. There's not many things I would change about our wedding, but if I had to do it all over again, I would have rented a photo booth. And worn red shoes.

And What A Weekend It Was!

My big sister is MARRIED! It all feels like a dream...but it was an awesome weekend. And despite the fact that it was late November in mid-northernish Michigan, the weather was incredible. I'll be sure to post some of the profesh pics when she gets them, but here are some to tide you over:


The new Mr. & Mrs. Turner! She was a stunning bride.


The whole fam-damily.

With my fab SIL, Jill. Also a good shot of the flowers. They were SO cool!

My boys. Alex's tux was ridiculously adorable. Bowtie and EVERYTHING!

Rockin' out to the Gator (aka "Takin' Care of Business"). It should be noted that there has never been one event (prom, homecoming, weddings...even my OWN) that I did not do the Gator proudly from start to finish. Six-and-a-half minutes of pure, sweaty dancin' goodness.

For now, I must go clean my house tornado-style in preparation for Thanskgiving festivities. Yes, we're hosting. I don't know what I was thinking, either.

Toofers.

As expected, the other bottom/middlish tooth has sprouted. It's probably only a matter of time before he's begging to go to 2-for-1 wing night @ Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. Le sigh.

Amidst all the crazy things/gimmicks that we've purchased for teething (rings, toys, baby tooth brushes, textured binkies, etc.) I think I've found the golden goose: Baby Orajel® Teething Swabs.

A coworker actually tipped me off about these things. They look alarmingly similar to a Q-Tip, but you snap the top off and the medicine oozes into the other tip and then you swab it in baby's mouth. I tried it on my hand...it really works...and quite instantly! (The girl that told me about it says she uses them when she plucks her eyebrows...ha!)

Much like the pre-soaped washcloths that I prefer to use at bath time, these are rather gimmicky. I could probably buy the tube of Orajel and apply it myself to save some money, but there are some things in life that are worth paying for: plumbers, painters and Orajel. :) Plus, I love that I can throw them in the diaper bag and use them whenever and wherever he might get fussy because of teething-related pain.

Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm off to pick up the future Mr. & Mrs. David Turner from the airport...it's WEDDING WEEKEND! :)

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH.

Based solely on my current stress/anxiety levels, you'd think I was the one getting married this weekend. And if I'm feeling this way, I can only imagine how Kelli is doing...

Anyway, the Post®-its are out of control and I'm beginning to fear they are going to take on a lifelike form and revolt in an uprising against me. I've managed to throw away 5 of them this morning - 2 personal and 3 work-related. Only 432,879,721 more to go!

In other news, Starbucks Christmas Blend came out today. Best. Coffee. Ever.

And, for those that give a rats, the E-Boarding pass worked like a charm. I just pulled up the text message from NWA/Delta that had the barcode on it and scanned it under this little machine thingie and breezed on through. VERY cool. I always stumble and stress like a maniac to find which pocket I put the paper pass in, which results in an instant hot flash of fear that I lost it, dropped it, or was mugged. I knew my phone was in my pocket, so no fear, no sweat. Love it!

And it's LONG overdue, but tomorrow you can expect the post on my lovely surprise from the CSN baby division. It's VERY cool!

Lost & Found.

I've lost my mind. If you happen to find it, please return to sender ASAP.

This Saturday is Kelli's bridal shower and bachelorette party. Yeah, you read that one right...both. It has to be a 2-4-1 kinda day because her time here in the Pleasant Peninsula is limited.

So this means as MOH Extraordinaire I must cram all the energies typically used to throw 2 kick ass parties into one 24-hour period. As such, I have twice as much to do and half the time to do it in. Add to that the fact that I have a life, an almost 6-month old, a husband that requires nearly as much attention (love you, baby) and a job that is salsa dancing on the single last nerve I have left and you can see how I'm a little overloaded.

You might think that I'm complaining, but I assure you I'm not. I thrive in freak-out-stress mode. It's actually when I do some of my best work. And, there's not a thing in the world I wouldn't do for my sister (or brother). If she wanted her shower to be a tea party theme on the Great Wall of China I would use every trick in the book to make it happen.

However, please don't expect much blogertainment this week from me. I'll try to garner at least one laugh a day, but cannot guarantee it.

Oh, and lest I forget...vote for Alex!

Turner & Co.

Since invitations have been mailed (and received), I can finally reveal some of the exciting details for Kelli and David's shower. For those not in the know, Kelli's trading in 'Talicska' for 'Turner' on November 22. Which is rather exciting because her monogram won't change!

Since all things wedding must have themes, the theme for the Michigan shower Mom and I are hosting will be "Turner & Co." <--I know, right?!?

Here's how the fab invitations turned out (designed, of course, by Jackie of bleu soleil design):

(click image to enlarge)

They were tied with a white satin ribbon and adorned with a sparkly "gift tag" that read: You're Invited. Basically the single greatest invitation to ever be mailed.

I can't reveal much more right now since most of the details must remain a surprise for Kelli and David until that day, but I promise you it will be fab. And I will provide and in-depth review on Oct. 12.

I Do. Me Too.

So, the childrens got themselves good and married on Friday and are currently off somewhere warm and fabulous eating and drinking themselves into oblivion. I am jealous beyond words.

However, there day was super fabulous and fun. I laughed, I cried...and made damn sure mom and dad got a decent ROI on the bar bill.

Meet the new Mr. & Mrs. Talicska, courtesy of le cell phone. (Profesh pics to come soon...their photographer was super!)




Today I was also going to write about the FUNNIEST story of all, but it's already been drafted and published by mi hermana. Click here for a good laugh about how and why my future brother in law drank an ENTIRE glass of fish water at the reception. Yes. Fish water.

Crazy, Party Of One?

I'm not dead. I swear. It's just been loco around la casa de VeeDub.

Baby bro is getting married on Friday AND Joe and I decided this week would be a stellar time to start renovating the basement into a livable space. Perfect planning. We are like that.

So, tomorrow we head to the great north that is Auburn for le festivities. It's going to be the best Talicska wedding since August 31, 2007. :) Word.

I Do!!

Since WIP has 2 weddings to attend in the first 4 months of his life, I decided he needed to look the part.

You might remember I had initially planned to get him a screen printed onesie to look like a tux. Alas, he got the real deal.



I know! Isn't it the cutest? I snagged it on ebay for $14.99. I also got a PiddlePad ($6), a cute little Polo outfit ($0.99) and am still the highest bidder on some bottles and an extra carseat base.

Perhaps my version of "nesting" is hunting for ridiculous deals.

Let Me Tell You What You Can Do With That Measuring Tape.

I am fearful that much like the priesthood, seamstresses are a dying profession. Literally.

Is it just me or is every seamstress employed by bridal shops about a zillion years old? I mean, really. The lady who altered my wedding dress was the youngest I've ever encountered and she was pushing 60.

The same can be said for the seamstress at the place we ordered our dresses for Jill and Kyle's wedding. She was 85 going on a trillion...and a little senile to boot. (What? She totally was!)

Anyway, here's how it went: we all took our turns in the dressing room trying on the dress - yes, even I tried it on and it was hilarious. The dress itself is beautiful - navy skirt, navy sweetheart top with a white ribbon and SPARKLES!

Then we all got our turn with Grandma-the-seamstress in the dressing room. Yes, even me. Keep in mind I am due in April and the wedding is in August.

After we were all measured she took us to the front desk and compared our measurements to the size chart to recommend a size to order.

When it was my turn, I reiterated my due date and the wedding date. Grams slid her glasses down her noes to better see the size chart and scrolled her finger down one of the columns to find my size.

"Well, according to this, honey, we'll need to order you this size," she said rather condescendingly.

SHE WAS POINTING TO A 28. A FREAKING 28.

I said, "Well, I mean no disrespect, but that has to be wrong. I just tried on the sample 8 skirt and it fit - short of 3 inches at the top that wouldn't zip because I am SEVEN. MONTHS. PREGNANT."

She just shrugged her shoulders and reiterated, "Well, honey, that's what the chart says."

After a few minutes of polite arguing, she realized she was looking at the wrong columns and conceded the victory. I mean, really. A 28?

So, the good news is that the dress is on order (NOT a 28) and I can now go shopping for shoes!! The bad news is that some other sucker is probably in there today not bold enough to sass back to Grams and will end up wearing a tent to her brother's wedding.

"Pre" Anything.

Yesterday at work I was sent an email with a call to action to "pre-register" for a webinar.

Pre-register?

How is that different from registering? It's the same, exact process. You are not pre-doing anything. Same with pre-paying. You are not pre-paying; you are simply paying. Paying in advance? Sure. But not pre-paying.

It's something that has always bothered me...feels good to get it off my chest.

In other news, today is the day I order my dress for Kyle and Jill's wedding. Eeep! I'll be sure to let you know how it goes (and how hard I get laughed at).