An 'In Lightning' Evening with Friends

Hard to believe but last Friday was my first trip to Louisville in nearly three months. I am pretty sure that is a record since I first moved to Louisville as a freshman in college nearly 10 years ago! And it was definitely my first Friday evening in the 'Ville in longer than I can remember.

Mingus and I lucked out and our trip to visit family in Indiana coincided with our friend Benzo having a his band play in Louisville at a relaxing, convenient location. We typically don't go by way of Louisville to visit the family anymore, but it's not much longer of a trip and for a chance to hear his band and to see a large group of our Villian friends, we weren't going to pass it up!

Benzo's band, In Lightning, is all instrumental and with all original music. (Well, I think the throw a few covers in there now but very, very few.) Benzo wrote all of the music himself which includes everything from his bass to violin, cello, French horn, guitar, piano, and drums. I had the pleasure to hear them back in March at one of their earliest shows but most of them have been on week nights (that was when I was still working in Louisville) so this was the first opportunity Mingus and I had to attend a show. We loved it.

It was at the Highlands Qdoba--a great location on the corner of Bardstown Road and Eastern Parkway, a hot spot any day of the week but especially on a Friday night. About 20 of our closest friends were out for the occasion as well, most of which we had not seen in at least three months, if not longer. 

31 & 29 Weeks for Michelle and I! Woo!

The show was from 7-9 p.m. and we intended to leave shortly thereafter, still have 2 hours on the road ahead of us, but we should have known it would not be that easy. With so many friends to catch up with, we stood on the patio chit chatting until 11 p.m.! Needless to say it was a late arrival in Newburgh, but well worth the chance to see the show and see so many faces we love!

A scrunched up little face

There really is a baby in there!!

We had our final ultrasound last week. It was primarily for the doctors to get measurements and check on a few things that all is A-OK, but it also meant the opportunity to see our little baybo and to have the chance to take a glimpse at the face! 

All is good healthwise as far as they can tell, so we are grateful for that. My weight gain is good, the heartbeat is good, all looks good and it's up to about 4lbs--for what that's worth. It's still showing ahead of the original due date and leaning towards Oct. 17 rather than 21st, but that only means so much of course. It'll come when it comes!

It was a'movin' when we were there. It's foot was up near it's head and from the angle they had the picture it looked like it was sucking on its toes--bizarre! (It's already weird just like us!) It was also facing down with its face to my back (the way it should be) but it made getting a good face picture tricky. It had its hand blacking the face also. Luckily there were two ultrasound techs there and one was more experienced so she gave it a shot after the other lady had little lucky getting a good face shot and the second one actually got some great ones. 

I always think the 3D pictures look a little alien-like, but I guess it goes to show it's all a different story when it's your own baby! We were thrilled to see the little mouth and nose all scrunched up in there. I'd say it looks like me but that's just because I was so scrunched up looking in the face as a newborn--and I'd say any baby is going to look scrunched in the womb!

So grateful for continued good health and I pray I continued to do all the best things I can to help nurture this little soul!

Sports Talk: Joining the Elite

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published Aug. 28 , 2013. 
A few weeks ago a group of ladies in the area competed in a half iron-man competition but this past Sunday, two took the “go big or go home” motto to heart and are now among the elite Iron Man finishers.

Dr. Erica Montgomery Turner and Nell Tarter Duggins made a complete day of it in the swim, bike and run competition.
 
Even being an athlete my entire life and being a runner, I cannot wrap my head around what these two ladies did. The day itself is one thing but the time and training it took to prepare for such an obstacle is beyond my comprehension.
 
The run alone is 26.2 miles—a marathon. I commend marathon runners, but can you imagine having swam 2.4 miles and biked 112 before taking on the marathon?
 
Nell finished in 12:54:20, which put her 30th in her division and 944th overall. Erica finished in 15:27:46, which was 76th in her division and 2,002 overall—and that was despite experiencing not just one or two but three flat tires during her biking leg of the event. I have no doubt both were grateful to have had support on the sidelines from family and friends from their ladies bootcamp group.
 
If you see either of these ladies this week—or any time for that matter—be sure to congratulate them. While the challenge is obviously physical, I believe the mental side of it must be just as big of a challenge. A goal that is physically exhausting that takes 10-17 hours to accomplish means there is a lot of time to back out, feel sorry for yourself or come up with excuses for why you need to throw in the towel. Neither of these ladies did.
 
Even if joining the Iron Man elite is not a goal you have for yourself, look to these two for inspiration for setting your mind to a difficult challenge and not backing down from it.

Family Fun in Tipp City

There are millions of great things about family reunions but there are two particular things I love about our reunions with my Mom's Rousculp/King side of the family: the location and the kiddos.

Vita, Merrick, Carolyn, Mackenzie & Molly

If I were to ever dream of living anywhere besides the Valley, it would be in a town just like Tipp City, Ohio--and probably Tipp since I have family there. I'm sure part of it is the childhood memories of visiting my Grandma there since the beginning of my life, as well as hearing the stories from both of my parents of growing up in Tipp. Any time we visit it's almost as if they transport back in time and wave of energy from their youth fills their spirits. Every street corner and building is a memory and it's hard for them to go anywhere without STILL knowing someone.

The town itself is small but I have the joy of having three relatives own houses along main street--just before the railroad tracks that lead into the real "downtown" area of Main Street. My Uncle Mike has owned an old house on Main my entire life (I'm pretty sure) and my mom and sister actually lived in a house across the street for a time before moving to Kentucky. Just a few doors up is my cousin and her family of five--three little girls and her hubby. Then just about three years ago my other uncle--my Mom's other brother--bought another house on the street, which was actually where my Uncle Kelly (my mom's brother-in-law) grew up. (I told you: SMALL TOWN!) The houses are all so old and beautiful. It makes me SO jealous to not be able to afford to build a house with as much character as such houses used to have.

Since my grandma's passing in 2009 our gatherings have typically been at one of my uncle's houses since both have splendid porches to enjoy summer days. It also makes it hard for anyone in town who knows the family to miss the fact we are having a get together. It's never a surprise to have someone just drop-in when they see an event taking place. It's also easy, from either house, to take a stroll to downtown. Antique shops, boutiques, a great toy store, restaurants, the public library and great coffee shops all line the picturesque streets. Maybe it's just me but it feels like something from a movie. 

The more recent great thing about our gatherings is the ever-growing number of kiddos present. The family had an explosion of girls several years back, so there are always lots of pig tails running about. Since then we've added some boys to the mix. These kids really are just stair stepping along. I believe the oldest is going into 4th grade with several more that range down to kindergarten. Then we have a few toddlers--two boys and a girl (who was sadly not there this year...) And rounding it out: a 16-month old, 11-month old and 7-month! The trend is obviously not ending soon with Michelle and I finally pulling the weight for my Mom's share of the next generation kiddos. Despite these kids only getting together maybe once a year--twice if they are lucky--they always seem to have a fantastic time together.

Lyla

Rosey

Luke

James

Theo

This really does not relate to the rest of the post but I can't not include note of and a picture of my cousin's awesome, redone '92 Jeep. Yes, this was a normal jeep that he turned completely awesome and now has the pleasure of receiving comments and looks everywhere he goes!

Sports Talk: New and Improved...At What Cost?

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published Aug. 21, 2013. 

Sports are great in all forms and fashion but a live sporting event definitely has one up on a game on TV or the radio, especially when it comes to college or professional events.

I don’t go to a lot of these events. I did get to go to a Reds game this past summer and last fall I attended a UofL football game. I haven’t been to a basketball game in awhile. I suppose a Bellarmine homecoming game a couple of years ago and a UK game several years back were the most recent.

I won’t lie and say the aesthetics of the venue of a live sporting event don’t add to the experience. Of course a beautiful arena brings the event to a whole new level. However, what’s a new and improved venue worth and things like the 2010 Yum! Center and the redesign of Rupp Arena as exciting as we think?

I recently read an article some of the funding for the redesign of Rupp Arena.  It’s definitely an exciting project. I worked only a few blocks away from the site during the building process of the Yum! Center. A countdown to finish display sat outside the construction site and I saw the daily progress. People of the city—even non-Cardinal fans—were excited for the city’s addition, knowing it would host more than just basketball games.

However, sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in that excitement and not think about where the money for such an undertaking comes from.

Along with the revelation of the group taking on the redesign of Rupp Arena, it was also announced that $2.5 million of the money being put toward this project would come from the coal severance tax.This is money coal companies must pay coal-producing counties because of the non-renewable resources being taken out of the county (coal). That’s right: money that particular eastern counties are earning because of the coal they produce, is being put toward the redesign of an arena in Central Kentucky.

Though Rupp is not in the coal fields, many believe it plays an important role in the state because of the tradition of the University of Kentucky basketball program, and there is strong alumni support in our region as well,” House Speaker Greg Stumbo was quoted by the Lexington Herald.

I recognize that $2.5 million is a drop in the bucket for the $300 million project, and I do not doubt that the events that will come to Rupp Arena after its redesign will be excited for many across the state—even outside of sports--but let’s think about those Eastern Kentucky counties that hold the valuable coal resource—that once it is gone, it is gone forever.

It is no secret that these need revenue for a boost in their economy and even better education options to help those formerly in the coal industry who are now without a job.  No matter the “alumni support” in those counties, that $2.5 million could benefit a lot of people directly if actually spent in those counties. The families and individuals who could most take advantage of money being put toward the economy or education in those counties, I’m guessing, will not feel or receive any positive outcomes of a redesigned arena in Lexington.

Is it right or fair that money our state has, only because of certain areas of our state, is being spent on a recreational project, when the areas generating the revenue could truly use this revenue to better the economic and educational opportunities of its residents directly?

And what are the guarantees this project will help anyone in the state? Let’s look at the Yum! Center project. Opened in 2010, it has year after year struggled to make profit and hit its mark on payments on the project and has turned back to government money to do so. It was a $349 million taxpayer money project.  The project only continues to lose money instead of turn a profit.

The Rupp Arena project is less expensive, but what will be different about the outcome and possibilities for this arena that will allow it to be profitable?

The article I read about the coal severance tax money being spent on this project included the thoughts of one of the Wildcat’s biggest fans: Matt Jones, host of the call-in show, “Kentucky Sports Radio”. Despite his love and devotion the Big Blue Nation, he is disappointed in the state’s decision to use Eastern Kentucky’s coal revenue toward the Lexington arena. He is not against the project itself, but using the coal severance tax on a project that does not directly benefit the people and counties that brought in the money does not make sense.

I cannot claim to know how far $2.5 million would even go in helping those coal-producing counties that brought in the money, but that’s not the point. The point is, despite our love for our sports teams and entertainment, is it right? Does it make you wonder what part of your taxes will go toward this project even if you are likely to never attend a single event at the arena? Or for you hard core UK fans, what of your money went toward UofL’s Yum! Center (and continue to)?

We love our teams and love our sports, but keep in mind that oftentimes more of your money is being spent on these teams than we acknowledge and sometimes there are more important ways our money can be bettering the people, economy and education of our state.

My favorite easy, quick clean-up meal: Foil Dinners

What's the easiest meal for anyone to fix at home?

One ready for the oven with no clean up of course!

What does this usually require? Usually it means you're fixing a freezer meal and one already prepped in some sort of disposable pan or cooking device that can simply be pitched after the fact avoiding the chore of cleaning the kitchen when you really want to just veg out after finishing your dinner. 

However, this also usually requires a sacrifice in the nutrition and health of your meal.

Prepping freezer meals in advance from scratch is a great idea, but I have a favorite solution that can be done the day of--but at any time of day--and the only tools you will have to clean from prep will be your cutting board, a chopping knife and potentially a bowl and fork.

When I make foil dinners, it's usually on an occasion when I know my evening will be busy so I don't want to have to mess with prepping a meal and, even better, I don't want to deal with making a mess that requires cleaning that evening or the next morning.

Ingredients I typically use:
-Potatoes
-Carrots
-Onion
-Garlic
-Ground Meat
-Salt
-Pepper
-Butter
**I add other ingredients as we have them. Last week I also included green beans and cabbage. Other herbs or seasonings would be fine too.

Here is the process:
1. Tear a piece of foil approximately 18-24" long. (This is dependent on how much you plan to pack into your foil dinner.) Tear foil for each person you plan to feed.
2. Chop you potatoes and carrots (and other veggies) into bite size pieces. I usually quarter my onion and keep the chunks together. Lay your veggies on each foil piece, dispersed evenly. Chop or press garlic over and add to veggies also.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper over veggies (and any other seasonings of choice.)
4. If using meat, mix ground meat with salt and pepper and any other seasoning of your choice. Make into a patty and lay on top of your veggies.
5. Add butter to top of your "pile" of veggies and meat. Half to 1 tablespoon pieces should be placed throughout the top. Judge the amount to use based on the amount of vegetables you are using on each foil dinner. 
6. Wrap the foil tightly around your meal. Afterwards, use a second piece of foil to warp a second layer around each meal. This will not only help hold the heat in for cooking, but it will also help keep the butter in with your meal as it melts.
7. Your wrapped meals can but kept in the fridge until you are ready to throw them in the oven. I cook them around 375-425 for an hour and a half to two hours. 

It's nice to prep this meal in the morning or early afternoon or have it ready on a weekend when I know I may get caught up in a project and not want to have to quite in order to start on dinner. For eating, you simply open up the foil and eat off of a bowl or plate. The foil can be disposed of and, aside from your plate and fork you have nothing to clean in the kitchen!

Yes, this meal still takes more effort that a trip for fast fast food or a frozen meal from the grocery, but it's a great way to serve up fresh produce or veggies from your own garden and keep it extra healthy.

Pre-Mom Reading: Breastfeeding, Products, etc.

I'm trying to use some of my extra time to do some reading about AFTER the Peangling arrives. At the beginning it's easy to get hung up on reading about the pregnancy and maternity process. It definitely is beneficial reading, but, at the same time, I began to realize that most of the "advice" and guidance I was finding was really just common sense about being healthy and safe in general. I admit that it is good, however, to know that some of the oddities with my body are normal--weird skin blemishes, leg cramping, peeing constantly, etc.

Instead I began to realize that understanding some of the "normal" things to expect once I get the baby home is a bigger deal. I do trust my natural instincts to guide me but the more I can prepare myself mentally for what is normal or okay to expect I feel will help me especially in those first weeks when I'm sure the changes will be overwhelming. Maybe it can at least help me to know when I should be concerned as opposed to having read what's normal. The other piece is even if my little brain can only retain so much now. I figure reading some and saving articles on Pinterest will maybe at least store somewhere in my mind that I did bookmark an article on a topic when I come up on a problem or question amid my new motherhood fog.

Here are a few of the articles I've read today or found useful:

Budgeting
Bringing Up Baby on A Budget: More than just tips themselves, I like this article because it includes lots of links to resources that support whatever tip she is giving.

Breastfeeding
Timeline of a Breastfed Baby: I like how this takes you through the first 2 years and starts out by only going by the day. I'm sure I'll learn a lot in the breastfeeding class, but this could be a great resource to fall back to when I'm trying to figure out what is/isn't normal.

Things I Didn't Know About Breastfeeding and Breastmilk: This hits on a lot of the same points but is a quicker read and more concise read. The end has links to a lot of other resources.

Products
Advice & Products I Wish I Knew About with my First Baby: Some of these don't apply until babes are to toddler age or so, but a good resource for me to turn to later. I know every child is different but it's helpful to hear what has worked for other parents. 
There is some crossover here, but this is by the same author: My Favorite Products for New Babies

First Weeks
Tips for Surviving the First Few Weeks of Motherhood: Some of these I've heard and read elsewhere but still good reminders and may be worth my looking at when the time comes...

It's easy to go down the rabbit hole in researching baby-anything. I've pinned these and more on a Pinterest Board: Learning to be Mom. I'm sure I'll add to it, but please share what articles you found useful or what type of research you're glad you did prior to birth (or that you wish you had done!)

Sports Talk: The Perfect Fall Recipe

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published Aug. 14, 2013. 

I just can’t shy away from it any longer. It’s being thrown in my face right and left and every direction I turn… Football.

Social media has made it quite clear in the past few years how the end of July and beginning of August bring on the back-to-school woes, but with it is also a clear craving for the fall season. Typically I notice this excitement being tied to the everyone being completely burnt out by the extreme heat and humid summer weather.  However, heat waves have not cursed us this summer; instead we’ve had an unusual downfall of rain for the first time in years.

But the lack of a weather change incentive has not held off the fall enthusiasm. Equally, and probably more exciting than the change of weather (at least for sports fans), is the potential of an exciting new football season that is soon to begin.

The list of reasons to be anxious for your favorite team’s first kick off is endless, whether your favorite to follow is at the high school, college or professional level.

There is the obvious reason: hope for the chance to cheer your team through an unpredictable, yet successful, season. The Rebels have a huge roster growth and some other big changes in their lineup, promising a fun season. UK fans have the excitement and unknowns of a brand new coach, that, let’s be honest, surely can only take the Cats uphill this season. Louisville fans have the pride of a loved quarterback and coach returning after a great 2012 season.

There is something special about football and a team’s weekly game schedule. It is easier to feel dedicated to a football team than other team’s which play anything from 3 to 5 games a week. Honestly, who has time to watch every game when they are spread throughout the week. Football is always on weekends—with the exception of the occasional Thursday night game.  Your enthusiasm for the game has an entire week to build. You have time to decipher the opponent, develop your own game strategy—never mind the coaches’ strategies—and even analyze the other teams in the conference and what each potential win or loss will do for the rankings.

The once a week event allows for something else we love: tailgating. I don’t just mean actual tailgating in the parking lot of the stadium, but all forms of gathering to enjoy games, whether it be meeting up at restaurants with friends to watch games or planning barbeques and get-together’s. No one could afford to do this for every game a team plays if they are playing multiple times a week and on random days of the week. With football, we can plan a fun Friday night or an eventful Saturday.

Even with a summer like we’ve had, where hot weather didn’t drive us to longing for cool fall days, football makes us crave it all the same. We’re ready for chili soup and other great fall foods to share with friends while wearing scarves, boots and hoodies.  We’re ready for sunshine during the day to enjoy cold drinks and sunglasses but a cool evening that calls for hats and hot chocolate.

Autumn is a great season, any way you slice it. There is something special about the changing of seasons, but there a peace about the cooled down weather and colorful, changing natural scenery. Football is obviously not the only thing that gives us reason o enjoy the outdoors through the fall. It’s the season of festivals as well, but football does have all of the ingredients of a unique recipe that results in fall love. A recipe that includes our favorite teams, a single-game-per-week schedule, delightful weather, food favorites, friends and family, beautiful colors and cozy fall gear.

It will not be long now for kickoff—high school, college or pro—and so many other great things are sure to come with it.

Baby Growth: Weeks 26, 27, 28 & 29

Here are the final weeks of the second trimester and the first weeks of the third! Time is marching on and I'm pretty sure my "innie" belly button is much more of an outie these days...! I can't believe that by the time I post another one of these photo series I'll be nearing the mid-30s and really at the end of this train ride! A little intimidating to think about...

We had a regular appointment just yesterday and we continue to be blessed with only good reports. I took the glucose/sugar test two weeks ago and all went well in the results. My weight is up to 134 and I know I am likely to gain more still but it is definitely already throwing my balance out of whack. Taking photos at sporting events is trickier, as crouching and maneuvering isn't quite the simple task it was six months ago! 

I've also been fortunate to have had few terrible side effects to pregnancy at this point. I had a terrible case of leg-crampage one morning in bed that nearly ripped my calves apart. I was walking like I'd been through my worst hill work out in years for the next few days because of it! Definitely added more water to the daily routine after that!

Movement is regular, but not in the fashion it was previously. I do still feel kicks and hiccups and punches, but more often I feel the Peangling swimming around or flipping positions, which is a much stranger sensation if you ask me. I suppose it better enjoy the room while it's there, though because soon enough I'm sure it's going to be tight living quarters!

The next few weeks should continue to be eventful... I'm finishing up repainting some furniture for the nursery room. Our next appointment is our final ultrasound! I think we will get the 3D pictures also so that should be exciting... I was definitely a very, let's say unique, looking baby, we maybe we'll be able to tell if it's getting much of me in it's looks! We also have our second shower coming later this month with family and friends across the river in Indiana!

Weeks 22, 23, 24 & 25 Here
Weeks 18, 19, 20 & 21 Here

Sports Talk: Find your photos on Facebook

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published Aug. 7, 2013. 

I have a confession to make… What I am writing about this week is only semi-sports related, so I apologize in advance to any avid sports fans.

I wanted to use this space this week to make a little announcement. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed attending different events throughout the summer and keeping up with the out of season sports and other fun going in our community. I’ve always loved taking photos, but a photojournalism class at Bellarmine is when I really learned how photos can do so much to tell a story. I also learned how you can never take too many photos in attempt to capture the perfect one that captures a story.

My friends and family have come to know me as the picture taker of the group. I used to be made fun of for the number of pictures my friends had tagged of themselves on Facebook that belonged to me. You see, in addition to loving to take lots of photos, I love to share them. I don’t just take them for myself. I take them for friends, family and for anyone else wanting to capture a moment or tell a story for future generations.

With all of the photos I’ve taken this summer, so many of the photos are of people I do not personally know. I always have a tough time selecting which photos to submit for print and, thank goodness, I usually am not the one who has to pick which one(s) actually do get printed. I talk to many of you at these events and often times you know I’m taking photos of you or your children and then they get left on my computer for no one’s enjoyment since the paper can only fit a select number on any given week.

So I’ve recently decided to upload these photos to a Facebook page specifically for sharing with the community. I find genuine value in photos and I believe many others do too. Rather than leaving the multitude of photos I take on a hard drive somewhere for only me to rarely flip through, they are now there for you to enjoy.

Photos can be found at www.facebook.com/ritapeatapictures. If you’ve seen me or talked to me at an event this summer or think I may have gotten photos of you or someone you know, take a look for it. They won’t all be perfect and I can’t guarantee editing on all of them. Also, don’t expect photos to be posted to this page immediately after being taken but you will probably be able to find that after the issue of the Casey News is released they were taken for.

Enjoy!

Baby Gear: Shopping Fun with Mom

I had quite the day with my mom last week. We made a big trip to Lexington for a major baby consignment sale put on by one of the churches and to hit up a few of the baby/child consignment stores.

I learned about the sale, Lil' Lamb's Closet, through my aunt. Several years ago my cousin KK and I attended one in Richmond, Ky. Obviously not for me--and no not for her--but for our aunt and uncle who were adopting. I remembered how big the sale was--how much stuff they had available and all in good shape. Even better was the organization of it. The famous 127 Yardsale took place this past weekend, which has its pros and cons. If you have the time, it can be fun and beneficial to check out some of the sales--especially living so close. If you're not up for it, it's just a hassle to deal with the extra traffic of cars trying to make turn-offs at obscure locations, etc. These sales can have great deals on baby stuff, but the problem is finding the ones that have stuff you can utilize. It's hit and miss. These large consignment sales are great because everything is organized. If you're just looking for girls clothes size 2T, you get a whole rack of nothing but that and it's all in one place. Same goes for all clothes, any size, gear, furniture, toys, bedding, and on and on. 

Remembering this sale in Richmond earlier in the summer, I inquired with my aunt, if she knew if it was something they still did. As it turns out, it is still an event they put on (I think twice a year) but she discovered one in Lexington as well. Their "fall" sales happened to be taking place the same weekend and I opted for Lexington's only so I could also hit up several consignment shops also that day. 

Lil Lambs Closet

I considered going up on Thursday to volunteer with set up. Had I done this I could have shopped early on Thursday night, but since my Mom agreed to come we decided instead to just get there right at 8 a.m. when it started. It was indeed overwhelming and the traffic of people only grew while we were there. Items were moving quickly but they had a multitude of everything. 

With a couple of showers still on the agenda over the next couple of months I knew I shouldn't overdo the shopping; at the same time, I don't want to wait until the last minute to get so many of the things I need, especially because when you're scrambling you can't exactly bank on finding a good deal on things. I think I did a good job of balancing what was worth springing for and what could just wait. There are so many things that it will be good to have more than one of anyway. Mom was also able to stock up on some things she had been looking for. 

However, the big item I did want to look for and they had ZERO of was a crib! So after stocking up at the consignment sale, we stopped by a few stores to see if they happened to have any good cribs. I knew I could order one online that I liked through wayfair.com for anywhere between $140 to $180 (not including tax or shipping). So I knew getting a used one for about that price wasn't necessarily worth it. 

Lil' Lambs Closet

 We had no luck at Re-Kid, but then my sister told me about Kid 2 Kid, which had several cribs. After some contemplation and a phone call to Mingus, we opted for a great deal on a dark wood crib they were selling with the mattress and a changing table. We weren't really looking for a changing table, as there is one in the Loft where we live that we were told we could have; however, it needs some repair as it's not the most stable piece of furniture. For the price of getting all three and having a nice looking table--with drawers--we spent the $140 to get all three pieces. Mingus and I had to make a second trip to Lexington later that evening in order get it all home in the truck bed. 

While it was along day with a lot of time in the car, I was super excited by the time I was home. I've not done a lot with the room we are putting the crib, aside from moving out other furniture we no longer need, but after having had a shower and now collecting more gear at the sale, I really want to get it all organized. Mingus says the "nesting" is setting in. Maybe he's right :)

Mingus & I spent Saturday with Jo & MJ at the lake!
We had a great time just relaxing at the pool!
Bellies sure are growing - Woo, 3rd trimester!!