Back to Blogging and SANTA!

Blogging has been put on the back burner.

Much has happened.

and honestly... I just haven't been able to pull myself together enough to do anything productive.

But with a weekend away with my favorite babies. I am getting back to normal.

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---Life as of lately---

Ryan and I are working like crazy.

I got another job at a baby boutique a few months ago. So I am working my 2 jobs which I am very thankful to have and to be able to work with great people.  I have signed up for classes for next semester but I am honestly not sure if ill be able to go. We will see. So many things are coming up that are causing issues and I am just hoping and praying things will work out.  Ryan is working lots of overtime so he is always sleepy and ready for a nap. Ha. What else is new :) He is getting ready to start school in a couple weeks and is for sure going.  He is actually looking forward to it. 

Harley is fine. Nothing much to say about her. She has some anxiety issues which I am seriously considering putting her in counseling for. The poor girl has had a rough little life.

Of course both of our cars are breaking down and are constantly in the shop. Our place is still up for sale but not sure what we are going to do with it.  If we will take it off the market for a bit or just keep it on. No one would want to see it in right now anyway. None of the damage from the wind has been fixed yet so its still a bit frightening to see. I am honestly not complaining about that though because there are people right behind us that still doesn't have her roof fixed! There was just so much damage everywhere around here that there is just so much to be done and our car port, shed and fence is definitely not a priority.

Obviously this last round of IUI didn't work. No prego's here. I was seriously so certain it worked this time. 

I am in a better place today than I was a couple days ago. 

I talked to my OB for a while last week and we discussed what we will do with our last vial. If it doesn't work this round we will be ordering 3 more since the cost of shipping is so expensive and it would be the same price to ship 1 or 3. But for this last vial my OB will start checking my Follicles starting on day 9 of my cycle... How they will do that is with a daily ultra sound. So everyday starting December 23rd ill be driving down to Salt Lake to watch my follicles grow.  Once they reach 2 cm. Ill get a trigger shot and get implanted the very next day.  This still is not a guarantee that we will get pregnant but it puts us in a better place with better chances.  Of course insurance doesn't cover any of these costs... Don't you love that... But we figure the cost of these ultrasounds and shot is much less than the thousands we will pay for the next order of vials so if we do everything we possibly can this round and if we still don't get pregnant, we will at least know we tried everything.

Something kind of interesting that I found online about The Follicular Phase... 

Female Ovulation Cycle: The Follicular Phase

The first half of the female ovulation cycle is regulated by the FSH, which stimulates the maturation of the follicles in the ovaries. More than one follicle may be maturing at one time, but only one reaches maturation and is released at ovulation. The cells that make the follicle are under the stimulation of the FSH to produce estrogen. Estrogen has a very important role in preparing the endometrium (lining of the uterus) to grow and prepare for implantation.

Under the influence of the FSH, about 15-20 eggs start to develop and mature in each ovary. This happens every month. During the first half of the menstrual cycle (follicular phase), the estrogen levels slowly increase until they reach a certain level that signals the pituitary gland that the ovary is ready to release a mature egg. The time that it takes to ovulate each month depends on how long your body takes to reach this estrogen threshold. So generally, you can ovulate anytime between day 8 to day 22 in your cycle. Each female ovulation cycle will differ depending on her hormonal levels.

High levels of estrogen trigger the LH surge. This is what your ovulation kit is measuring. This surge causes the release of the egg from the mature follicle. The egg is collected by the fimbria at the end of the fallopian tubes and gently guided through its journey toward the uterus. The egg will be fertilized in the fallopian tube and the developing embryo will tumble down toward the uterus where implantation will occur.

Always trying to pass on my new knowledge :)

So there will be lots of blog updating going on here within the next couple days. I hope to get caught up before Christmas but we have 5 family Christmas's we will be delivering this week, work, volunteering at the homeless shelter, Christmas parties, finishing wrapping, finishing last minute Christmas things, doctor appointments, cleaning, shipping cookbooks all the while having 3 of the sweetest rugrats running rampid in our house. So spare minutes will be far and few.

I figure you all cant stand to wait another second to see our visit to Santa so ill start there.

Seriously- Santa was a bit lame!

Harley agreed.

But there are only so many Santa's that will allow dogs. discrimination!

(notice Harley's adorable Santa hat and hot pink nails :)

After Santa, Harley got a first class shopping trip.

She picked out all her Christmas presents and went home with a special treat for being sooo good with the Jolly man himself. I worried there might be some tears or even a bite. But Harley knew what was good for her and totally loved on the man instead.

We are still here and well and I am thankful for all our blessings. and believe me- We are blessed!
Hope life is well for everyone.