Almost Famous

So, The Simple Way puts out a publication, called Conspire, on a quarterly basis that, to put it in their own words, "celebrates creativity, connection, and faith amongst a growing network of subversive friends".  Check it out (and subscribe!) here.

My dear and totally awesome friend, Janell, is in charge of a lot of stuff that happens at TSW.  Check her out here.  She's just so cute!

Anyway, she needed someone with a lot of class, a great smile, and awesome hair that also knew how to knit, to star in this preview video for the Summer 2013 Conspire issue.

She thought of herself first (duh), then remember that she doesn't know how to knit (double duh), so she called me (triple duh).

I graciously accepted with the stipulation that she must let me borrow any of her clothes that I wanted for the next forever and ever.

She immediately hung up on me.

Then called back, apologized, accepted my conditions, and promised never to be so rude again.  I forgave her.

After a flawless film shoot with TSW's videographer extraordinaire, Dan, who's from a place across the ocean where "pounds" refer to money and not weight, and they say things like "jolly" and "bloody" and "cheerio" (not referring to cereal), I let him thank me for my time and lending my highly demanded screen presence and sent him on his way.  (Whoa, long sentence. Sorry.)

And after a much anticipated 24 hour wait, my movie came out on Youtube.  It hasn't gone viral yet, but I'm sure it will in time.  They must have forgotten to put my name in the tagline.  Amateurs, ha!

Prepare yourself for star quality.



Okay, okay, I am finished being silly!  But I had a lot of fun writing this post!  I actually acted out this post as I was writing it, (and I am laughing at myself, right. now.)!  Imagine me in front of my computer tilting my head back and laughing as I think to myself, "Amateurs, ha!"

I'm sure you can tell fact from fiction here to realize that I made most of this up.  But hey, I am in a video filmed with a really expensive, professional camera.  When will that ever happen again!?  Thanks Janell and Dan and The Simple Way!


Okay, back to packing and stuff.  T minus 1 day until we're GA bound!!


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Progress

How far along? 19 Weeks 1day

Total weight gain: 4lbs.
Maternity clothes? Nope.  But I bought a few things at the Goodwill yesterday...note, the dress I'm wearing.  Though, it's not maternity, I think it will go the distance!
Stretch marks? None yet!
Sleep: Not bad. I am up once a night for a bathroom run.
Best moment this week: I think I felt a tiny kick. Actually a few tiny kicks.  Baby Wilde is most active around 10pm.  Future night owl?
Miss Anything? Fruity drinks! A friend bought a case of those fruity, beachy flavored beers and I can't even have a little bitty sip! Ugh! Also, deli meat. I would love a Boar's Head turkey sandwich. Right. Now.
Movement: Yes.  They're more noticeable every day.  My lovie's love taps!
Food cravings: I've been surrounded by cookies, brownies, cupcakes, ice cream, and popsicles. I did not buy all of these things! But I can't seem to get away from them. No, I haven't been craving them, but it's been REALLY hard to pass by them every day and not have just one...or two.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not anymore.
Gender: ......stay tuned.
Labor Signs: Nope.
Symptoms: Some lower back pain, mostly my usual indigestion. I've been pretty symptom-less for the past 6 or 7 weeks.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On. Hopefully for the duration.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy. Definitely focused on getting my life packed up and shipped out to GA in a couple of weeks.
Looking forward to: Feeling more kicks. It's a wild feeling to know there's a little dude or dudette inside of you!


So, for all of you mama's or mama's-to-be or just opinionated people in general, I've got a couple of questions for you.

1. I went to the doctor last week and found out that my blood type is A negative (Only 7% of the world is A-, how cool am I?). This means that there could be potential reaction with baby's blood type if it's different than mine. I will have to get a shot at 28 weeks to prepare for this and then when the baby's born, they will test it's blood type and depending on whether it's positive or negative, they will have to give the baby a shot or medicine or something.
Has anyone ever dealt with that before? I don't feel very worried about it, just curious.

2. One thing I feel like I've learned so far during this pregnancy that everyone's experience is different. So, I don't know if even asking this question will be helpful because of that.
So far, I've only gained 4 pounds. I'm 19 weeks and I am definitely behind in my expected/average pregnancy weight gain. I'm not trying to scarf down mounds of food, but I've been trying to eat healthy things in smaller doses, more often. Has anyone else been behind on the weight gain track? I've heard you should be gaining a pound per week after the 1st trimester. Has that been true for anyone? When do you gain most of the weight?

I'm not really worried and my doctor doesn't seem worried, but is this weird?


Thanks for responding ahead of time! I can't wait to read what you have to say.


Oh, also, we ate out at Copa Banana last night, West Philly style.  Another check off the bucket list....SO. GOOD.

**Side cry-baby note**  They're famous for their margaritas. Waahhhh!!!!

Keep posted,


the rave

Gettysburg, PA

Dustin and I have been in Philadelphia for 4 years now.  Since we've been here, we've tried to make it a point to get out and do things.  You know, not get stuck in the routine of life and never go and do fun stuff.

So far, we've:
- visited Boston, Mass.
- visited NYC
- visited Baltimore, MD
- experienced the Jersey Shore, many times. That includes, Atlantic City, Cape May, and Ocean Grove Beach.
- visited Lancaster and the surrounding countryside
- skied in Vermont
- anniversaried in Ontario, Canada - saw Niagara Falls
- flew to Portland, OR for a week
- hiked the countryside of eastern PA to a small extent
- experienced Philly to a decent extent.  There's just SO much to take in.


One of the things left on our Bucket List was to visit Gettysburg, PA.  Some of you may be wondering, "Why Gettysburg?" and some may have no doubt in their minds why we would want to visit there before leaving this state.

Well, for starters, we are from Chickamauga, GA.  The only reason some people have ever heard of Chickamauga is because of the battle that took place there during the Civil War.  It was the third bloodiest battle of the War.  We kind of have a cultural connection with Gettysburg just because we are from Chickamauga.  "You're from a small, historic, civil war town?  OMG!  I'M from a small, historic, civil war town!"
Secondly, it is the bloodiest battle and probably the most significant battlefield of the Civil War.  Confederate General Lee lost to Union General Meade - a major turning point in the war.
Lastly, President Lincoln gave the famous Gettysburg Address at the National Cemetery in Gettysburg.  You remember, "Four score and seven years ago...".  A pretty monumental moment in history.

I know, I know, too many words.  I'm getting to the pics....

Let me just brag on my husband for a minute.  After I strongly suggested on Friday night that we go to Gettysburg on Sunday, and thinking that we would just throw the plans together last minute on Saturday night after I got home from a day trip to the beach...he called me in the middle of my sunbathing to fill me in on all of the plans he had made for the trip the following day!!!!!!!

Relief and excitement.  He had written out an entire itinerary...including two outlet mall stops!  A breakfast stop was planned at a great diner in Lancaster.  We were going from point A to B to C at specific times.  Grabbing lunch at a specific time.  And leaving a at a specific time.   All I had to do was be in the car by 7am.  Yes, 7am.  When the Tommey's get excited about something, you better believe it's going to be executed in an intense and meticulous manner.  I LOVE HIM!

Here are the pics......

6:40 am + fresh bang trim.

So happy!

Philly at 7am.  I'll miss this skyline.

The Pantry - our breakfast stop.
It looked about 700sqft. and a bit uncertain.
But it was SO awesome!!!

Skillet Breakfasts.  OMG.

Sourdoug toast, homefries, and a scrambled, delicious mess.

14 Grain toast, homefries, and bacon, onion, broccoli skillet.

The Visitors Center - it was VERY nice on the inside and out.

Checking out the cannons.  Though he said he would probably have been in the infantry.

McPherson's Farm.  Where the first of the fighting began, day 1.  Also, the PA countryside is so beautiful.  There are fields of corn and farmhouses and barns EVERYWHERE...it's one of my favorite parts of PA.

Eternal Peace Monument.  There's an flame at the top that's always lit.

Overlooking some battle grounds.

The coolest monument we saw that day.  I don't remember what the inscription said, but it was for the PA troops.

Luthern Theological Seminary.  It was used to as a hospital to care for the wounded.  Sound familiar, Gordon Lee Mansion?

Appalachian Brewing Company.  The beer is Dustin's.  Don't worry.  But isn't the stamped bun really fun?!

Ten - AH - See. All day, son!  Imagine me saying it like this. Or this.  

General Lee on top of his horse, Traveler.  Probably the largest Confederate monument in the park.  One of my favorites too.  

I can't remember exactly, but if this pic was taken in front of the above statue of Robert E. Lee, then this is where the Confederates charged the Union in the most devastating battle at Gettysburg, Pickett's Charge.  After losing this battle, Lee began his retreat back into VA.

Lieutenant General James Longstreet.  Look at his beard.  He was Lee's second-in-command.  

Monument for Louisiana.  It was eccentric to say the least.  A lot like Louisiana, if you ask me.  Cool enough to take a picture of though.

Mississippi.  

Don't remember exactly.  Probably the farmhouse/barn of the family whose farmland was used as a battlefield.  What would you do with thousands of men fighting in your backyard?  Stay at home and try to protect what's yours or brave the unknown and possible run-in's with the enemy to get out of Dodge?

He wanted his picture taken at the top of this Observation Tower.  I think he's so cute!  Especially which the camera pouch latched onto his belt.  He's my favorite person, period. 

FINALLY!  Only one, insignificantly sized monument for the Georgians.  I have a friend who thinks our state motto is funny.  Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation.  Anyone else think that's funny?

I don't feel very encouraged by the inscription.  Maybe it's just my perspective.  Anyone agree?

No comment. 

Little Round Top and Big Round Top

Ooo!  This is a good one!  See next pic.

Last surviving Conferderate veteran...117 years old!!  Died in 1959.  He lived through the Civil War, WWI, The Great Depression, WWII, and he saw the Civil Rights Movement begin.  I would have loved to have heard this man's perspective on life.  

Devil's Den.  Zoomed view from on top of Little Round Top.  Where I was standing was Union high ground, looking down onto Confederate territory.

Looking up at Little Round Top.

A bloody battlefield. 

Pennsylvania Monument - the largest one we saw...maybe not the tallest, but definitely the most grand.

New York - had the most monuments of any other state that we saw.  Fun fact:  volunteers for the Union from New York were over 440,000.  

It might be difficult to tell, but in the distance, is the monument I showed earlier of Robert E. Lee on his horse on Seminary Ridge.  When I took this picture, I was standing in the location of the Union army, Cemetery Ridge.  Seminary....Cemetery....strange, very strange.
Anywho, the Confederates charged from directly across this field in the battle known as Pickett's Charge.  The Union won and the Confederate casualties were approximately 6000+ men. It was an ugly, ugly fight. Needless to say, the Rebels began their retreat the next day.
  

Oh look!  One final Confederate taking his charge.  It that a gun he's carrying?!

What a minute!!  That's no Confederate.  That's Rocky Balboa!!  Adrienne!!!!!

We had lots of fun.

Swoon.

Add caption

The National Cemetery.

Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address Monument, though this isn't the exact place the address was given. 

This monument marks the spot where the address was given.  Though President Lincoln wasn't the main speaker that day.  His address was only two minutes long and the main guy, Edward Everett, his address was two HOURS long.  No wonder no one remember his speech.   

In the end, the three days of battle at Gettysburg totaled 51,000 Confederate and Union men wounded, dead or missing.

War sucks.  It really, really sucks.




Keep Posted,

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