The Holland's Have An Announcement!

We are PREGNANT!!!! 

Yes, I know that may come as a shock to a lot of you but we are so excited about our little bun we have in the oven!As of today April 20th, 2012 I am exactly 12 weeks. So now that we are somewhat in the clear I feel like we can finally shout it out loud and proud! This has been a bumpy road thus far but we are hopeful that everything now should be somewhat normal along this road to baby.


I'll go ahead and fill everyone in on how I have been feeling these past 12 weeks. For the most part I have felt pretty amazing. I know some pregnant women might want to strangle me for saying that but it is true. I had a short bout of morning sickness where I just did not feel myself for about 4 days. 

However, I did experience the dreaded morning sickness to the extreme. I don't even know if I would classify it as morning sickness either. I took my preggo self to the grocery store to stock up on some goodies for me to snack on...you know lots of fruits and veggies and lean meats. Well as I was heading to the register I knew I needed to get something to eat as soon as I returned home. As I was browsing the frozen section for something healthy I was sooo distracted by a box of corn dogs!! I felt like I had found my match...I kept thinking, "this is what I will eat this entire pregnancy, these are just genius!" So clearly as excited as I was I purchased not one but TWO boxes of corn dogs!!! As soon as I walked in the house I immediately turned the oven on so that as soon as I finished unloading the groceries I could put the corn dogs in and hopefully eat within the next 20 minutes or so. Oh you have no idea how amazing these corn dogs were going to be. Finally the timer went off and I got my plate out and put mustard on it for my dipping sauce and I plopped down, mouth watering beyond ready for this treat! As I expected they were amazing. Delicious to say the least....until the very last bite. Something changed, something hit me that felt so unfamiliar and so terrifying. I slowly stood up and walked to the fridge to grab a ginger ale to soothe this odd feeling in my stomach. Before I even had a chance to open it I was running to the kitchen sink (I don't know why that is where I ran but it is) and up came the corn dog. Every last bite came right back up. Needless to say I have not touched a corn dog since that day. If anyone would like 2 boxes of corn dogs they are yours!!! I don't know if I will ever be able to eat one again. :(

 Besides that adventure my only other major symptom I had was in the early weeks. I was flat out exhausted. I would have done anything to get a nap in at anytime of day. Just closing my eyes for 20 minutes felt like a little piece of heaven to my sanity. So now do you see what I mean when I say other pregnant women must hate me?? This has been a great pregnancy. I'll take the getting up 3 times a night to pee over having morning sickness for 12 weeks any day. And I'll even take the pregnancy acne that seems to have taken over my face...errr I don't know that one has been tough. 


All in all Scotty and I wanted to announce that we are thrilled to be expecting a little one November 2nd, 2012. 


Oh and here is my 12 week baby bump!!! Some might not see it but we definitely see the change!

Also, here is my very first baby purchase. I just couldn't resist!!! People say not to buy things this early but I could not help myself. They will be adorable for a lil baby girl or boy!! 

Tiny Baby Glasses

Wildly Improbable Goals

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face. ... You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

—  Eleanor Roosevelt

This week has been a week of exposure. By that I mean I have been exposed to career ideas, goals I didn't realize I had, and has given me a new perspective on life, . As some of you might know I have been in a struggle with finding a career path for about 18 months and job offer after job offer I have turned down for whatever reason. I do not if it is more fear related about starting a new career or if it really just does not feel like a good fit for my future career goals. As anyone knows about how frustrating and defeated job hunting can make a person feel I still believe that the right job is out there for me. This might be an issue with 20 somethings who feel they should be at a completely different level starting out than what they are qualified for but even then when it comes to entry-level jobs it's like I don't see much of a challenge in them, therefore, I decline the offer. I can't stop thinking "what is wrong with me? Why can't I just settle for a job" but then that is when it clicks and I have an aha moment. I have settled at times in my life and experienced the stress that comes with being unsatisfied and so I am trying to avoid that at all cost when it comes to my career. For instance, at this very moment I know I am not happy where I am working, but I am not willing to just move to another job that leaves me just as unhappy and unfulfilled. So what do I do? I stay where I am comfortable until something that really creates an energy inside of me when I think of the job and I keep fighting for it. If anyone has any kind of introspection about how to follow ones passion and really find peace with their career I am up to hearing any suggestions. So please feel free to comment or give me (and others) some form of inspiration that we aren't crazy and we are just fighting for happiness just like everyone else out there.

All this career talk leads me to a story that I read on Oprah.co and here is the link so you can read it for yourself.

Wildly Improbable Goals as Martha Beck explains in the article as this:

"Maybe it's a dream that simply will not let go of you, no matter how often you tell yourself not to hope for anything so big, so unlikely. Or it may be an ambition you've already embraced, even though everyone else thinks you need serious medication. In any case, learning to invite and accept your own WIG can awaken you to a kind of ubiquitous, benevolent magic, a river of enchantment that perpetually flows toward your destiny."

When I read this it really struck a chord with me (common things that I write about) and how I have always dreamed of seeing the world. If anyone has read Eat, Pray, Love and actually felt like they were reading about your life (I was in tears for most of the book because of the strange connection I had with her)then I can't help but think that this is one of my WIG's as Beck would call it. It is definitely an ambition I have already embraced, I didn't become a flight attendant to just deal with grouchy passengers, but I can't help to feel that I was prematurely derailed from that path for a greater purpose that I have yet to see. Moments like these are when I have to stop looking back on the past and asking myself 'why' and instead look towards the future with faith knowing that it happened for a reason and it will eventually benefit me in some capacity.

As I've mentioned in past blogs about my new outlook I get the chance to now say to myself that thankfully everything happens for a reason and soon I soon I will look back and say "I get it now." Until then, I will continue to work on myself and keep chasing the many other dreams I have...like marking things off of my bucket list!

Sometimes I can't help it and my head just stays up in the clouds...err in an airplane. :)

And I'll wrap this post up with a little inspiration from my dear friend, Oprah Winfrey ;)

"Knowing your deepest intention can be your guiding force in the creation of a better life." ~Oprah

Yours truly,

K

Changing 'Shape'

As I've stated in other post I am in a transition phase of figuring myself out and really becoming the best me that I can be. So I've done excessive amounts of soul-searching (I know I've been busy and it's only 2 weeks into the new year!) and really asking myself some important questions on ways to improve the life that I am living. Which leads me to my health...

I like to consider myself a relatively healthy person. I am by no means an extreme health fanatic because I seem to resist being told what to do and not do at all times.With that said, I enjoy eating healthy food and I'm not one to turn down a french fry either!! Right now my issue is finding balance. Before the mindset of "if I wanted to have the cake then I mine as well eat it too" has got to be a thing of the past. I understand all things should be done in moderation but it's so hard to say that when you have been emotionally drained for an entire year when there is a bowl of raw cookie dough in front of you. But the time has come and I am putting my foot down lightly!

This year is about discovery for me so I am branching out and making the choice to start eating FISH. As a girl raised around shrimp boats (Just call me Bubba) I too am amazed that I have not been introduced to shrimp in a more welcoming way. They, meaning fish, were not a staple on our dinner table. I was never shown how to prepare even the most simple fish dinner. That is a challenge that I am declaring for myself on my way to a new me with a new mindset. So for all of you fish eaters out there I welcome any and ALL suggestions on recipes and tricks to how to prepare a fish...shoot even on how to pick out 'good' fish at the grocery store. I'm not kidding when I say I need all the help that I can get in this department!!!

Now onto my next adventure...working out. I can honestly say I am not a New Years Resolution maker on working out this year because my neighbor and I started in December, therefore I cannot and should not be lumped into the group of Jan 1 resolution makers!!! :) Sooo here is the funny part, we had been working out in the AM and as i mentioned in my last post I am NOT a morning person by any means. So you can imagine how much of a struggle it was for me. Add thank goodness for my dear friend, Kim,  she never seemed to be disturbed as I came hopping to the door to let her in with one shoe on and the toothbrush hanging out of my mouth as I told her, "It will be just one more minute and then I'll be ready!" Each morning we worked out it always felt so great to be up and at em  and to be energized for the rest of the day from a good ol AM workout. Well the holidays came and went and so did our workout routine. After the new year we both made it a priority to get back on the horse and give it another go. Only this time we were met with the smile of the trainer of our apartment complex. Little did we know the pain that was in store for us as we obediently jumped, squatted, kicked and crunched on our first day back in the gym. It's been 5 days since that intense workout and I am finally feeling like I have my own legs back. For a while there I was beginning to feel like I was given my very own pair of wooden legs to try out for size!! Not like there would be anything wrong with that...it was just something that was so foreign to me for those long painful days!



Today I decided that in order for me to hop back in the race of 'changing my shape' I am going to do so at MY pace and not compare myself to the super fit women in my class and feel like the fat kid in last place!! I may be in last place right now but I will get there eventually, after all summer is only a few months away and I can already hear the river calling my name!!

The reason I want to change my shape is not only to look AMAZING in my bikini this year but to overall feel better about my health. I'm not a spring chicken anymore so I think it's about time I took the time out to take care of me first for a change.

Holding up glass "Here's to change...in all areas!"

~Kim

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." ~ Maria Robinson

Inspiration comes in many forms...

Sometimes even in the form of your daily horoscope. Mine today particularly struck a chord with me, let's see if you all will agree with the stars today.

Your Daily Horoscope

"Today is a great day to let your artistic nature shine through, Libra. Your sense of color and pattern is right on target and your words are more poetic than usual. Create a time and space for your creative inner nature to manifest on the physical plane. Let your fantasy world spill onto a piece of paper for others to see. You have tremendous gifts. Feel free to share them with the world."

What seems bizarre is that for me everything did seem better today. I woke up AMAZINGLY on time today! I was able to make a smoothie for breakfast and enjoy each and every sip without feeling the need to gulp it down (like I do on most mornings) and my shower and getting ready routine was not rushed and frantic. Instead of me hopping around my closet trying to pull my pants up, throw a shirt on, and hop out of the closet with one sock on while simultaneously trying to brush my teeth, put my boots on and make a mad dash to the door all before 7:35 (ok let's be real...I'm lucky to get out the door before 7:55am on most days). But not today! Today was different, today started off fantastic and I won't let a single thing get in the way of me having a wonderful day!!!

Now onto sharing my 'tremendous gifts' as my horoscope would proclaim today. How about my wisdom...err or wit! Nope scratch that, today it's all about blessings or better yet how one views the world around them. I might sound somewhat scatter brained at the moment but trust I am working on getting to the point. My resolution this year is to work on me and by working on me that would include how I view the world. Last year, to say it lightly, I was in a rut. A rut beyond ruts. I was so unsatisfied with life and everything it had offered me but yet I was not able to see that until years end. To me, it didn't seem to be affecting my mood. *Newsflash* I was a walking talking mood killer!!! Last year was a woo is me year. I am most thankful that I can now see that. When someone would tell me to 'look on the bright side' or 'let it roll off your shoulders' it was like someone was asking me to move a mountain. This year things will be different. This year I hope to exude all the confidence and ease of someone who has mastered their craft (fake it till you make, right?) I may be completely in the dark as to the direction my life will be going this year but the one thing I will always know is that I have faith in an awesome God and I have faith that he has something great planned for me. Just that thought alone brings a smile to my face and gives a twinkle to my eye! :)

This year my approach to life is to look at the glass as always half full, to see that things will have a way of working themselves out, and that God is in control. The last one is tough, as I have mentioned before that letting go of control is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. Clearly, I have not done the best job at controlling my life so by letting go out of that control I can only imagine how differently my life will be at this time next year!!

To wrap things up I wanted to share two blogs that have shed some light in my life on how to praise God and really be thankful for everything in our lives even at the most trying times.

The first blog is the Sullivan's blog. I went to high school with Sara and started following her blog early on and became attached to their message. They were given the most terrifying news but were so grateful for the positives in their life. So if you have a moment I'd suggest starting at the beginning of their journey and then continue to check back as Brady makes frequent updates on their life. 

http://bandssullivan.blogspot.com/

The other blog is from a girl that I also went to school with but her journey is very different from the Sullivan's but yet she still has such a positive outlook even when times are trying.

http://bethechangeinethiopia.blogspot.com/

And just to throw this out for a very thrilling and humorous read is from another person from school that is now enjoying traveling the world with her husband as he plays hockey and she lives the life as a full-time tourist!! (So envious ;))

http://texagermanadian.blogspot.com/

Have a safe and happy weekend,

~Kim

Happy 2011...the buck stops here!!!

“Let this be the year you release your fears about what you can achieve.” 

~ Oprah

 

Happy New Year!!! So here it is 2011, out with the old and in with the new right? This year I am going to try to set myself up for success...as I stated in my last post I'm not going on a diet, I'm not going to quit doing this or that but instead I am going to start listening to my gut! I am going to refocus my life back to where it should be, God. By doing that I hope to achieve inner and outer peace with the path that I am on, but also to feel empowered to make the most out of this life on Earth.

So... I've been doing some major thinking over these last few days of the new year and I've come to the conclusion that there is nothing worse than feeling like you have wasted your time and much less anyone else's time. And I don't mean the telling nonsense stories that have no greater meaning that just wasting ones breathe but instead I mean something larger like making peace just to avoid the fight or I'm all out of examples...maybe that is what I'm most concerned with. So from this day forward I am going to be honest first with myself and then let that flow through me to the people around me. I'm not saving anyone by trying to spare the fight because it just isn't fair.

On a completely different note I have a new perspective on career searching...I've had a ton of negative in 2010 I know it will be here to an extent in 2011 but this time around I don't have to listen to it. I need to focus on all the wonderfully supportive group of friends and close family that value me as a person and look at the best in me and stop putting so much focus on the ones that feel they need to focus on my downfalls. I read a book a couple of years ago and it discussed how it's better to work on getting your strengths better than the best instead of finding your weaknesses and making them average. When you do that nothing stands out...all around you are across the board mediocre. So for me, this year I am going to focus on the best of the best friendships I have and help them thrive. To me, I'm not interested in having a mediocre life, I know God has a bigger and better plan than I can ever imagine I just have to be ready for that and I believe by enabling strong bonds and positive thoughts flourish that I might get there right on time!!

2011 might have started off with a slightly bumpy road I am not going to let that deter me from being the best ME that I can be! So here's to all of us out there looking to reach the stars...not all of us are meant to live ordinary lives!!!

Hopeful and intrigued,

Kim

Today, I see that the world is at my fingertips!! I have no choice but to embrace that and run with it! :)