Health & Soul, Inc.

Twenty Two Week Update!

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Likes: ice cream, doughnuts, and the fact that my skin seems to be clearing up

Dislikes: back pain is setting in, and it's not really my lower back like I'd expected. It's my upper back between my shoulder blades. My husband has been a doll and massaging me every night, but still trying to figure out if there are any specific exercises or stretches that could help? I'm having trouble stretching it because my belly is so big I can't really arch enough to feel a stretch. Ha. Fatty.

Weight/Waist: 117 lbs./ 34 inches

Other happenings: I went back for an ultrasound so they could finish the anatomy scan since they weren't able to get everything on Baby B the first time around. This time everything was viewable and both girls are growing nicely! They are so scrunched up in there it is hard to believe they are comfortable, but the doctor says that's how they like to be. I was also worried about B coming out with brain damage since A seems to enjoy kicking her in the head, but they also assured me that this is totally normal with twins and that their brains would be just fine. Let the sibling rivalries begin!

Weekend Update: Happy Birthday Mama!

Monday, April 27, 2015

First things first, I finally found my pedometer!! It was sitting on the babies' swing in their room and I've walked by it probably 10 times this week and this one time I looked down and there it was! So happy I didn't lose it after all! Other weekend events included attending my husband's grandfather's 90th birthday party, a last minute trip to my husband's softball game, and a lot of cleaning up the house. None of which I took photos of. Blogger fail. Oops.

I also spent my Sunday hanging out with the best lady I know, my mommy! Her birthday is on Tuesday so I took her to lunch and we did a bit of galavanting around random stores. Big Lots, Goodwill, ya know.... the usual ;) I got some new stuff for my summer patio and showed her the pictures from my latest ultrasounds. We had ice cream sundaes and I finally got her a smart phone so she can see and take lots of photos of the little baby girls when they come :) I know everyone says this, my mom actually is the very best one and I cannot wait for my little nuggets to meet her too and take them on all our excursions together. I hope I will be as good a mom as she is!

Now back to the grind. Five days til the next one!

Let it Shine, Mingle Monday, Weekending, Monday Madness, Weekend Recap

Five Days I've Been Waiting.. TGIF!!!

Friday, April 24, 2015

Five days. Five super long, annoying days that potentially made this one of the longest weeks ever. It's truly a miracle how I did it all without a nightly ~~glass~~ bottle of wine. With a week full of work deadlines and after school activities, I was already prepared for a long one, but this was just stupid...

Monday, husband reveals that he has lost "Arnold 2". Arnold is the name that was given to his first Nalgene water bottle that he had been using an left at his first softball tournament of the season. I knew he was sad about it, so I bought him a replacement about 2 weeks ago. Left it at softball again. No more fancy water bottles, I'm done.

Tuesday, I wake up to discover that my pedometer has vanished. I know, it seems dumb, but my company gives us "health miles" that we can trade in for $$ when we track our steps. Oh, did I mention I put my first one through the dryer accidentally and had just bought this new one about a week ago?? Still hasn't popped up anywhere. I guess I need to accept it was not meant to be.

Wednesday, husband forgets his cell phone is in his pocket and attempts to do Lord knows what kind of move with the baseball bat at his game and smashes his own screen with the bat. Hello Verizon store.

Thursday, random light which appears to look like an airbag light is on in my car. It still drives fine and no, it has not exploded in my face. Anyone know why it's on or how to turn it off?

Friday, pretty please be nice to us! I get to see my little munchkins again today (via ultrasound) and am praying for nothing but good reports! Hoping the nonsense stops in time for us to get our lives back together for the weekend!

[Disclaimer: I fully realize that these things are insignificant, ridiculous first world problems and that we are unbelievably and abundantly blessed. It sounds like I'm truly complaining, but trust me, it's with quite a bit of sarcasm ;)]

In the meantime, don't forget to enter the giveaway for $125 paypal cash! Time is almost up!

More like this on Five on Friday and Friday Favorites!
and Friday Favorites #2 ;)

My Coffee Solution for Pregnancy

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Morning coffee. A former staple in my life that I swore I could never function without. Funny how easily things in your routine start to change when you introduce a wee fetus into your life. Giving up the morning caffeine has not been all that bad. That doesn't mean I don't still envy the smell of coffee though and recently have been wanting a little taste for myself.

We have a regular, full pot coffee maker in my house and I don't want to force anyone else into decaf, so I broke down and got myself a canister of instant coffee. It was kind of gross. I guess everyone has their own taste but this by no means was my preference. But don't worry, I found the magical solution. I started mixing a teaspoon of the instant coffee with a teaspoon of hot cocoa mix and hit the jackpot. Not the whole pouch, just a teaspoon will do. It ends up with this mocha like taste much like a rocky road coffee from Dunkin, and you know how I feel about those! If I'm feeling adventurous I'll throw in a flavored creamer like hazelnut or vanilla caramel. Pour it into your favorite coffee mug and voila! Perfect pick me up to get the day started right!

Give it a try and let me know what you think! After all, the cravings must be satisfied! But before you do, don't forget to enter our $125 Paypal cash giveaway! Everyone needs a little extra $$ right??

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Twenty One Week Update!

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Likes: doughnuts, oatmeal, playing with my belly button (I know it's weird)

Dislikes: nausea and vomiting. Dang it.

Weight/Waist: 116 lbs./ 34 inches

Other happenings: I feel like the babies are so active now and I can feel them kicking all the time but I swear to God the moment my husband comes into the room or I want him to feel the kicks, they stop. I want him to feel what I'm feeling so badly but so far no luck. Maybe next week??

Wedding Weekend Recap

Monday, April 20, 2015

Are you sure it's Monday AGAIN?! I could really use another day. I barely got anything accomplished and my house looks like a mild episode of hoarders, but that's ok because we were way too busy with a good friend's wedding to do anything else! It was a huge, gorgeous wedding and my husband was one of the groomsmen so we got to experience every event from the rehearsal through the reception.

Friday was the rehearsal and dinner. So nice to catch up with friends and enjoy a delicious meal. Plus it was nearly within walking distance of our house which was super convenient.

Saturday was an all day affair. We started the day at the groom's parent's house while the guys got ready, headed to the church for the ceremony, and eventually on to the hotel for the 6 hour reception! I have to say, I am mildly proud of myself for making it nearly to the very end without my afternoon nap ;) Both families were big party type families keeping the dance floor busy and the celebration going from beginning to end! I also got to spend some good quality time with my girl friend Kristen, who also just got engaged to one of my husband's very best friends (happy happy, I get to keep her!)

Sunday went by like a flash. I swear I got doughnuts for breakfast, attempted to get some work done, and all of a sudden it was time for dinner and bed. I feel like I spent the day in a daze, as though I was hungover or had spent the previous day drinking like the rest of the crowd. Don't worry, I didn't drink a drop of alcohol. Somehow though the hubs was the one out, about, and hitting the gym, and I was the one waking up with her head in the toilet. Totally not fair. But I know it will all be worth it :)

Let it Shine, Mingle Monday, Weekending, Monday Madness, Weekend Recap

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Five Steps to Spring: The Beauty Edition

Friday, April 17, 2015

The sun is peeking, the weather is warming, and while I'm not exactly ready to whip out the tank tops and bikinis, I'm definitely in the mood to freshen up for Spring. A new wardrobe or hair color would be nice, but on a tight budget, a girl's gotta look for the little things to make sure spring has sprung. So if you're ready, just follow my lead and get a little bit of spring in your step this season!

1. Whiten. I'm a big teeth person and a firm believer that a white smile will take you leaps and bounds when it comes to self confidence. And with the amount of products on the market these days, there is seriously no need for an expensive, professional job. Crest Whitestrips do the job every time, or their generic counterpart. Honestly they all work just as well!

2. Tan. I know it's terrible, but now would typically be the time of year when I would step myself into the tanning booth a couple times a week, just to build a little bit of a base so my skin isn't shocked at it's first real taste of summer sun. Obviously this year, that's not really an option (Why you ask?). So, I've resigned to sprays and lotions. If you can go get sprayed, awesome. It works really fast an lasts a long time. If you'd rather DIY, I still swear by the good ole tried and true Loreal Sublime Bronze. To me it smells a lot better than other brands, and the color is natural if you have the patience to apply it evenly on a consistent basis.

3. Brighten up. It doesn't take a whole new wardrobe, but a few pops of color here and there go a long way. I'm loving this look from @ashtonwearsthings. Plain and simple with a colorful bag and nails. Spring perfection.

4. Rejuvenate. I wish I could say I've gotten a nice fresh spa treatment, but that is certainly not on the budget this year. Instead I've refreshed my skin care products and am now a dedicated Arbonne user. I have to admit I'm not sure if this is a good or bad move on my part as it's not exactly the least expensive product out there, but by hosting a party you can get really good deals, so that's pretty much my plan from now on! I feel like my face has finally grown accustomed to it and is glowing more and more every day. Need a rep? I highly recommend Kristie for all your Arbonne needs!

5. Move. Under normal circumstances, I'd probably be posting up a fitness storm, getting myself in gear for the summer bikini season. Pregnancy has changed this somewhat. I'm now more partial to light weight bearing exercises I can do at home and long walks around the neighborhood. I'm not saying I've given up the gym altogether, but carrying two, I'm trying to be really cautious about following the rules to make sure they stay in there as long as possible! I know this may mean extra work for me when they come out, but healthy babies come first. #sorrynotsorry

More like this on Five on Friday and Friday Favorites!
and Friday Favorites #2 ;)

Twenty Week Update!

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Likes: ice cream, lots of water, feeling little ones moving and wiggling like little hamsters in my belly

Dislikes: acid reflux and finding a comfy sleeping position

Weight/Waist: 33 inches/113 lbs.

Other happenings:
We had our anatomy scan this week. Everything went well, except they couldn't finish because baby B was in a position where they couldn't see everything they needed to see, so I have to go back again in two weeks. The sonographer did tell me that the girls were busybodies and constantly moving though! I'm also pretty certain that I felt my first kicks Saturday night from baby B! So cute and exciting!

On a side note, if you're expecting and wondering what your little bundles of joy will be, take this quiz courtesy of Tiny Prints and find out! Of course, it's just for fun, but I took the quiz myself and it was 100% accurate! Let me know if it's accurate for you!

All Work and Some Play: The Weekend Recap

Monday, April 13, 2015

Two day weekends are way too fast! I thoroughly believe that 3 days should at least be standard, but I had a decent/productive weekend nonetheless.

Friday we went to this Vietnamese restaurant with some of our closest friends who swear by it. They've been raving about it for so long and it's BYOB, which certainly adds to the appeal of the whole thing. Anyway, I gave pho my very first try and I have to say I did enjoy it. I can't say that my socks were completely knocked off, but it was a good first experience and a great way to spend a low key night out of the house.

Saturday I felt like poking my effing pencil through my eye. It was sunny and seasonably warm and I could see the neighborhood kids outside on their bikes. I sat at the table and worked on freaking busy work for school the whole dang day. I know, I'm lucky I have a job and I know it's all just part of the territory, but it really makes me wonder, if we spent all of these hours doing things that actually benefited somebody, what a wonderful world it might be?

Sunday was fantastic. My love and I went to the Oriole's game (tickets I got him from his Easter basket) and the weather seriously could not have been better. It was a great game on top of it, if only our pitching would have come out better from the start and we would have won the game. Husband was a great sport about it though and I think he had a great first ballpark outing of the season. I know I did, and I better soak it up before I (a) am too big to walk around the stadium or (b) am stuck at home with wee humans relying on me for their every need. I thought it would be hard to make it through a game without a beer, but it honestly wasn't bad at all!