Team Wiley Christmas 2011

We took this picture of Ursula back in September. (Note- Her ball baby is close by.)

donning our fabulous Team Wiley shirts

Cheese

Fancy probably did something to show her hatred for having to sit in the family portrait.

Ursula looks thrilled.

Scrubs

This is the one we used.

Chewbacca is our angel.

Ursula stealing all the attention away from Fancy.

Merry Christmas everyone! Love the nurse (Kris), the hospital administrator (moi), the doctor (Sam), Ursula, and Fancy.

Three Posts in Two Days

That has to be some type of record right?  No.  Normal?  Whoops!  Anywho, you have to back track to check out my Dominica Day 4.  It has a lot of pictures.  Which, let us be honest, one of the main reasons you read blogs... for the pictures.  I'm not judging.  I do the same thing.  Hope you enjoy.  (Coming soon... I'll post our Christmas picture.  You know you are eagerly awaiting it.)

It's Been Too Long....

Bad blogger.  I've been purposely avoiding you.  I've been holding a lot of stuff in. Well, sorta.  Someone hurt my feelings.  It doesn't matter who or what was said.  All that matters is that I felt like I was kicked in the gut.  I really hope this person didn't mean what they said.  Perhaps they just got flustered and spoke.  I really hope that is the case. What is sad is that I don't know.  I should know.  They are supposed to be my friend right?  Anywho, I have had time to calm down, reflect, and have decided to dismiss the whole incident.  On top of that, I am anxious about Sam taking his test.  I know he will pass, it is just the waiting for the confirmation.  In addition to these things, cancer has been on my mind lately.  A friend was diagnosed with their second type of cancer and another with their first.  In a discussion with my friend who will beat cancer twice, I mentioned how once you are diagnosed you are overwhelmed with emotion.  One of the feelings I felt was to live life.  I mean really live it- not worrying, being appreciative, doing things to make you happy, etc.  Being almost a 3 year survivor (yay!!), I feel I have lost some of that.  I'm sad that I did.  I don't want to be regretful.  Anwyho, enough of the mess in my head!

On a lighter note, Katie is giving away another blog makeover to celebrate her grand opening.  In addition, she is offering $25 off any blog design purchased before January 5th (Ring a bell? Eek!! 33 years! {i had to edit this, I posted the wrong age. Damn, getting old sucks.}).  Visit www.pricelessdesignstudio.com to learn more details.

                                                     

We Interrupt 10 Days in Dominica...

YAY!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my new blog design! Thank you so much Katie. I am very thankful for your hard work. :)

Soooooo.... I think we are bad luck for the house. Seriously. A couple of weeks ago we had the exploding stove top range. Cha-ching. This week it was the sewer line. Cha-ching. Spending money on home repairs is not fun, in case you are wondering. Spending about 4 days living with your parents is not fun. Okay, some of it was- no cooking, no cleaning, getting spoiled by your mom.

Hate to cut this one short, but I want to crochet (I also have taken up scrap-booking! Crazy crafty me!) a bit before a coffee date. I promise to get back to the 10 days in Dominica challenge. My favorite trip is a three way tie and I'm having to get all the pictures together!

10 Days in Dominica- Day Four

What has been your favorite trip?

Um, so I have three. Here they are in chronological order-

1. WET Dominica ride, Batibou Beach, and Pagua Bay

our ride

Batibou beach

another view of the beach

Pagua's awesome view

Sam and I

2. Scott's Head, Trafalgar Falls, and Screw's Spa

calm Caribbean

 

Caribbean on left, Atlantic on right

Ana, me, Jacki, Keira, and Joleen at Trafalgar Falls

relaxing at Screw's Spa

3. Silks Hotel and River tubing

Silks

river behind Silks

 the group before floating

I was continually attacked by the environment.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!  I had a wonderful time on all these trips and the others that are not mentioned.  Not only because of where we went, but because of the lovely ladies that went with me. 

10 Days in Dominica- Day Three

How does the weather affect you?

I thought I was prepared for the weather in Dominica because I'm from Texas. 100+ degree days are common in West Texas. Bring it. Yep, I was wrong. I was not prepared for the humidity. It was awful, but I got used to it just like the rain. (Texas readers, it is the wet stuff that falls from the sky.) There were times that it felt like it rained for days on end. It was tough at times, but you just find ways to deal with it. If you need to stand in front of your fan in your underwear, you do it. If you are starting to get down when it has rained for the 89th day in a row, talk to your girls.

10 Days in Dominica- Day Two

What has been better than expected?

10 Days in Dominica- Day One

Yet again, I beg for your forgiveness. It has been a long time. Too long really. Before I can catch y'all up on what is going on, I have a commitment to honor. One of the lovely Ross wives has started a 10 day blog challenge based on our experience in Dominica. With that, I proudly present....

Day One- What do you miss most about home?

When you first get to the island, you are instantly aware of the physical things missing. There are no divided highways, few street signs, or bursting metroplexes (no Starbucks or Target!). You are able to take in a lot of nature. When you get to your home it becomes even more apparent you are not living in the states. Electrical outlets are different, water can change from translucent to brown to nonexistent, appliances are small (at our first apartment they were written in Chinese), cable channels have the ability to change, constant internet signal is a luxury, hell- constant electricity is a luxury. All these things start to pile up, you are craving for normalcy, and before you know it... you have a "Dominican Day". A day in which everything goes wrong and you have lost all patience.

Once you have experienced a "Dominican Day" (see my blog from August 27th 2010 for an example), you begin to miss people- your mom, best friends. People who were once a small drive or phone call away are now a planned Skype visit away. Keep your fingers crossed the internet stays connected!

Living in a third world country is a humbling experience. You have to give up a lot of physical comforts. The strange thing is is that you become a lot more tolerant of things going wrong. You become stronger. How? The lovely, equally sweaty wife next to you is going through the same thing. Together we made it out. The others we left behind will as well.

Third Times a Charm... Right?

I have tried to write about this twice. Each time, I am overwhelmed at trying to convey my thoughts and feelings. I am determined to post this one. Promise.

We are trying to conceive (TTC). It is one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do. Not only is it physically draining (get your head outta tha gutta!), but it is extremely emotionally draining. I have never in my life been so consumed with my cycle.

I got on the pill in my late teens to attempt to make my irregular, painful, long periods on time, less painful, and shorter. I had been on the pill for about 14 years. 14 years. Wow. Now that I am off them, I am updating my iPhone app about the slightest symptom. Tracking, tracking, tracking. It is helpful, but a curse.

Last cycle I was late. Could I be? I didn't feel any different. I tried to be practical, we only have been trying a little while. I took a test and it was instantly negative. All the practicality I was trying to demonstrate flew out the door and I was devastated. I cried.

There are so many things that go through your mind. If only I wasn't overweight and unhealthy all those years... All those 16 year old girls get pregnant at the drop of a hat... What if we can't...

Sometimes I really wish there was a switch to flip on and off for my brain. Instead, I just try to take it cycle by cycle... onto the next one.

Everglades

A bunch of us celebrated the first day of summer by going the Everglades~

Mike, Sam, Burke, Zak, Sindy, Paige, Michael, Analeah

snapping turtle

vultures (reminds me of The Birds... eek!!!)

huge grasshopper

alligator

trying to figure out who would be the tastiest

coming to get us

I'm in Miami Trick

I've been a bad, bad girl. I know. It has been months, seems like years really... so a lot has happened.

1. We no longer live in Dominica.

Our last visit to Pagua Bay

Ana, Steph, me, & Mary at Jungle Bay

Picard now has an IGA!!!

My last time at Number 1 Beach

2. We got married.

The Kiss

lighting the unity candle

The shoes!

David, Aunt Sue, me, Sam, & Kris

Dad, Mom, me, Sam, & Russ

after wedding cocktails at the Overton

3. We went on our honeymoon to DisneyWorld.

at the Magic Kingdom

kids can fight Darth Vader at Epcot

dinner at Brown Derby

night parade at Magic Kingdom

the ladies in Italy made me into a nun

at Epcot

in Mexico

in Norway

drummers in Japan

Jasmine waved at me

Beauty and the Beast

Belle

fireworks at Epcot

Circle of Life tree in Animal Kingdom

Mickey checkin' out my ring

the Wiley's with Minnie

4. We live in Miami (for the time being).

single thumbs up on first day of 5th

Sam, Michael, Sindy, & Kam first day of 5th

I got to help hold the banner for Miramar's Relay! I'm second from the left.

Aunt Sue and I on the boat in Naples

I hope this makes up for neglecting my blog and gets you all up to speed. We have under 2 months here in Miami before we get to go back home. I will make a better effort to keep you informed of Team Wiley happenings in Miami and in the future. :)