Munch's Room

As Munch's birthday draws closer we have been working hard to get his or her room ready! To match the bedding we made several trips to Lowe's and Home Depot then to Babies R Us and Target and IKEA. Only to repeat the cycle over a few times! :) And now here we are... Ryan's amazing circles are painted, the furniture put together, the bedding washed! Just waiting on our little guy or gal to join us! :)

Oh and one thing you cannot see in these photos is the matching valance - Yes, I became Martha Stewart for a few days and made it myself. Proud day!!! :)

Mid-Week Getaway

I was looking through some older pictures from past months and came across our mid-week getaway. We decided to take a vacation day and travel around the Bay Area hitting some highlights. Despite both growing up in this area, Ryan and I have never experienced the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz. Just finding the place is a mystery itself as you drive through huge redwoods in this random residential area without really knowing what you are about to experience. For those Bay Area dwellers who have never experienced it and want to feel like a tourist in your own stomping ground - check it out! Totally fun and a unique way to start off the day! And yes, you will get the famous bumper sticker as a souvenir!!


After leaving the Mystery Spot we decided to head up the coast to Half Moon Bay. Along the way we stopped at Pigeon Point Lighthouse to check out their renovations and enjoy the beautiful weather we were blessed with!





From there it was lunchtime on the beach! Ah the joys of living in CA!! What a fun and relaxing day! (For those of you who are wondering, Savanna got to hang out with her cousin Westin all day).

Time flies

So I had no idea how lame I was until I looked at the date of my last post! I have a lot of catching up to do!!!! I guess I'll just pick up the pieces as I go...

To start off - Munch and I have reached the 31 week mark! Our Christmas guy or gal is due on December 20th. I'm feeling pretty good overall - definitely slowing down as I hike up the stairs in our house though (I'm convinced that little gnomes add more stairs in our house when we are not home). Munch is growing and getting stronger every day - there are days where my belly will not stop rocking and rolling which is an incredible experience - Ryan experienced his first punch or kick back the other night which was just hilarious!

Sleeping has become a little more interesting - For those who have been pregnant know the frustration when you spend 15 minutes positioning and repositioning every surrounding pillow just in time to get up and have to go to the bathroom again! Keeping a smile and laughing at the absurdity of the situation keeps everything in perspective though.

We are busy working on the room (yes pictures will be posted as soon as it truly looks like his or her room) and trying to get "ready" for d-day. :)

24 Weeks and now...............31 Weeks. :)

Place your Bets!

Almost halfway there folks! Today marks the beginning of 19 weeks...for those who don't compute months into weeks like me - I am 4 1/2 months along! So crazy!

Thanks goodness for being past the morning sickness stage. I was grateful to only suffer a few weeks of nastiness (and yes, I thought for sure that I would never be able to eat anything...again...) but those few weeks gave me a completely new appreciation for anyone who has suffered, is suffering or will suffer the dreaded morning sickness.

But on to happier things! I've been able to feel the baby a little here and there for the past week but Friday marked the first day that Ryan felt a few little thumps himself. Amazing!

Yesterday we were able to see those thumps on a monitor as we had an hour long anatomy-type sonogram. Before I get into the amazing results I need to protest....Any other pregnant women out there willing to sign a petition or walk the picket line in order to revise a torture policy mandated by Kaiser on unsuspecting pregnant women? Confused? I digress...

A few weeks ago after making this appointment, I received instructions that I needed to follow before I came in. Gullible growing me did not think twice as I read and reread the instructions since this was, after all, for my baby. "Go to the bathroom...then, drink 32 ounces of water within a half hour period. You must have completed the task one hour before your appointment." What's the big deal you ask? For those of you who are not pregnant, I'd like to see you drink 32 ounces of water with a child the size of a soda can karate chopping and salsa dancing on your bladder while having to hold it for almost two hours! Without too many graphic details - I literally was in the most uncomfortable bladder state I've ever been in my life. Unable to think or breathe, I have never been more elated in my life to be pointed in the direction of the restroom.









So know that I have "relieved" myself of those wonderful memories (haha!) I can move on to some awesome-ness: pics of the family addition! I am right on track with the mid/late December due date (22nd) after taking measurements of the baby's cute head, chest and legs. Everything looks healthy and "forming beautifully" according to the radiologist. She was snapping pictures left and right to show the doctor who will give his/her approval as well. Our little guy/gal was pretty active during the whole thing and kept trying to punch at the ultrasound wand (or at least that's what I saw.:). We may have a future contortionist on our hands as s/he got into these incredible positions which made it quite tricky to look at all the necessary bones and organs. Fiesty little thing - especially when s/he got the hiccups! I was so grateful for the early on pics she got as most of those were super cute profile shots! Probably the neatest thing for me was to feel the baby move and see the movement on the screen happen simultaneously - It confirmed that I really was feeling the kiddo and not my intestines or stomach yelling at me!

So there you go! I'm glad to share our baby-crazed thoughts with you! :) And for those of you who are curious - we stuck to our guns while the radiologist told us to close our eyes multiple times in order to keep the sex of the baby a secret. We have our suspicions but that's all they are. You'll have to track down our radiologist to try and finagle it out of her secrecy :)

More updates to come - I must undergo the Kaiser water-torture again next Tuesday. I was advised to not drink all the water as marked on the instructions - apparently they don't want my bladder to engulf the baby's range of movement. :)

Happy Tuesday folks!

Matt's a Grad!!

I’m really in shock over this whole thing! My baby brother is now a high school graduate and off to Simpson Univ. this fall! The graduation was this past Friday (Redwood Christian High School) and it was full of friends and family alike! It was so cute – Mrs. Williams (Pastor Sherman Williams bride) insisted on meeting him as he was the recipient of the Sherman Williams Memorial Scholarship (the name may be off but the idea still the same). I snapped as many pictures as I could.
The next day was celebration day as my parents had an open house filled with Buffalo Wild Wings, nachos and all-around yum! And now he’s off to enjoying his summer full of baseballs, guitars and hopefully some time hanging out with his sister (hint hint) before it’s off to classes, books, studying, and even more baseball! I’m so very very proud of you Matt. Congratulations!!!

Time for some fruit!

Well folks – I do apologize for the update delay – Blame our little munchkin reeking havoc on my first trimester. For those who are interested in knowing – I am definitely past the worst of it…I still get my off mornings but am able to recover MUCHO faster. So thank you for all the prayers and tips – whoever mentioned Trader Joes and their Ginger Chews – God Bless You. Munchkin and me are doing good. Our next appointment is early July – more updates to come.
So to recap – Strawberry picking and Cherry picking. Aren’t we just the fruit connoisseurs?! One Sunday as Ryan was heading out to Cornerstone’s Brentwood campus- he began to notice all of the amazing looking strawberry fields. I, who loves strawberries with every ounce of fruit loving capability, jumped at the thought of picking a boxful of deliciousness. So we ventured out to Brentwood one beautiful Saturday and came home with some beauties! Highly recommend this adventure. So much fun! Mental note to make this a yearly jaunt.
To keep the ball rolling with fruit – we headed up to Healdsburg, CA to visit my grandma and her cherry tree. She was beyond thrilled to have the fam (yes, Savanna came too), however, the tree was not as joyous. It seems as though we misjudged the readiness of the tree by one week. One week!! We picked (aka Ryan picked) as much as we could (aka Ryan could) and spent the rest of our weekend loving us some vacation time! The funniest segment of the trip had to be Savanna’s adjustment to the word “vacation.” Poor thing had no idea how to relax until our very last day. All the new smells, sounds and house made it for a very exciting and almost “stressful” time for her until she became adjusted and realized that we weren’t going to leave her. She took to my grandma’s garden very well – And yes, she had permission.

When's that BABY due?!

Well folks, the time has come. We have an "announcement" to make!!! - Coming December '09 a little baby Bicker will be joining our house of craziness! You read right - We are going to have a baby!!!

So here's the details that I know some of you are asking:
1. Dana is 2 months along and feeling good. Morning sickness is a routine now and not fun to witness but overall, she's doing great!
2. We had our first ultrasound last week and baby looks healthy! It was amazing to see the little heart beat!
3. We are going to wait till the actual birth to find out the baby's gender - Yes people, going old school.
4. We will have names picked out ahead of time but not sure yet what those are.
5. Our official due date is December 22nd.

The video below is how we told our parents the fun news! It was a complete surprise to both sets of Grandparents! Enjoy!

Green Thumb

It all started when I came home from work one day and there was a tomato plant on my doorstep. Yes, a tomato plant. Apparently the nice realtor that left that tomato plant did not know my track record. 1. I grew up with a backyard surrounded by wildlife that ate every living plant imaginable. I never had a chance to even SEE tomatoes grow! 2. I own a dog that ate plants when she was a puppy. 3. I have never successfully kept a living plant alive (on my own) my entire life.

Despite my three strikes, I love the thought of having a green thumb. So I decided to give it a shot. Who knows?! Maybe I'll surprise everyone by inheriting this coveted trait from my grandma who I swear could grow a tomato garden on concrete just by looking at the plant. (Yea...She's that good). There was only one small hiccup. The lack of a backyard. So instead I came home with the ingenious Topsy Turvy tomato plant grower. That's right folks, we are the proud owners of a Topsy Turvy thanks to my green thumb grandma. www.TopsyTurvy.com

Having never purchased potting soil in my life, what should have been a 5 minute trip to OSH, turned into more of a 20 minute trip because... I was so inspired! To add to my vegetable green thumb, I'm attempting two types of flowers! Don't bother asking me what they are...I'm focusing on keeping them alive. :)

Some say animal cruelty – we say ninja dog in training.

We take pride in challenging and training our canine companion to achieve new heights in the fine art of jujitsu or as we refer to it – judogsu.  Please do not try to emulate the maneuvers shown – only pristine accuracy and years of practice will allow a performance such as this.  (Personal Disclaimer: The camera was subject to uncontrollable laughter.  Watch at your own risk. We do not take responsibility for jostled eyes or heads while watching.)

Heading back Home

Fountains of Bellagio

Mad Greek Cafe

Heading up the Grapevine!!

Heading out on Vacation!

In preparation for Summer...

For those who care to know...tis' the season for getting your hair cut. Shed off those winter locks and get ready for the upcoming seasons! Usually I know exactly what I want and am not really afraid to try something new (within reason). In preparation for the warmer weather ahead, I know I needed a haircut. After much deliberation with Ryan, friends and more friends, I decided that instead of growing it out again, I would cut. So for all of you who were curious as to the look I went with...My beautiful friend Elizabeth documented the evening.

Ta Da!!!

I was amazed at how straight my hair got after Stefanie had cut it! Unfortunatley I was not blessed with hair styling abilities so the concept of getting every curl down to a wave down to a straight piece of hair is a bit foreign. :) Maybe not foreign...but not fast enough for me. Hence the modified look above.

So thank you Stefanie! You are the best!!!

So You Think You Can Irish Dance?

Jealousy is not a good trait to possess. You really need to be working through those issues before things get too bad. When it comes to our mad-Irish-dancing skills though...it's okay. Be jealous. You know you are...

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Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone! Wear your green proud! Eat your corned beef and cabbage! Hunt for leprechauns and treasures of gold!

Savanna the Water Dog!!!

There is a place in my heart for dog accessories/clothes. Not ALL dog accessories/clothes but the items that serve some sort of purpose. For example, when Savanna wears her green collar (because she is cheering for the Oakland A's of course) I usually tie a pink bandanna on her to distinguish the fact that she is a GIRL. Why green collars make a dog a boy I will never know! So in times such as that, bandanna's are so fun.

That is the prelude to my story. The real story is as follows:

Savanna and I are on a daily walking routine. Rain or shine...we are walking. The problem was not the desire to walk but rather the elements of nature. Now it is true that California winters are not the harshest thing out there but I dare say that we have had some pretty decent rain in the last month. In the midst of the week long rains, I hated dealing with a wet and as a result... a smelly golden retriever. So I did some searching.

Today was the day! Thanks to LandsEnd, Savanna can now take the rain walks with ease. And yes, it is personalized...again, with my luck people would walk up and comment on my "boy" dog. I wanted to take no chances.

The irony of the situation is that Spring is almost upon us...those heavy rains, well, we may just have to wait till next winter to really appreciate her rain coat.

What I found when I got home....














Before...














And after!!!

Journaling 101

Every since I was little, the thought of a diary intrigued me. For my birthday one year, I received a Spotty Dotty diary with a lock and key...hello awesome!!! (For all you closet Hello Kitty fans...you know who I am talking about!) I would start by jotting down what happened that day, who got sick at school, who sat by me at lunch, what I had for a snack...You know, the 8 year old style of journaling. I would go for about a week at that pace and then, set it aside. Usually for a few weeks if not months and then start back up again. This has been the set method of my journaling life. Not desired method but set method. So here I am, 24 and still lagging in the journaling department which is something that I do enjoy doing. I wanted to do something about this issue of mine. What was prohibiting me from journaling regularly? - Content? No. Cool Journal? No. Easy - TIME. I have issues taking the time out of my day to spend writing my thoughts, feelings, ideas, etc. - whether they are trivial or not is another question. :)

So here it goes, my reason for this entry. I am not one for a shameless plug when it comes to websites but this has turned out to be a pretty neat site for those in the same lack-of-journaling boat that I am in who want to change. If you type faster than you write, I totally recommend http://www.penzu.com/ Simple journaling site that is not a blog but just a personal empty page of paper that you can keep locked (sorry, no spotty dotty layout) without the hesitant feeling that someone will stumble across a folder on your computer or open up that fancy journal of yours.

I guess you could call this a March resolution of mine? Oh and P.S. - You will be happy to know that I no longer write about who I sat with at lunch - at least, not all of the time. :) Happy writing!

So Lame!

So much for keeping our blog updated with new and exciting info! On our behalf I blame our organization system! We will soon be in the market for an iMac which will do wonders for our picture storage system and the ease of posting those pics and videos to share. Anther excuse commonly used in our house is the lack of videos and pictures...which is only partially true. Our flip video pretty much goes anywhere that Ryan's pocket goes...or right now, wherever my purse goes. Our camera just requires a little more planning to bring along but even so, nothing that cannot be remedied.

So to all our blog followers - I apologize! This year will be full of pictures, videos and stories to share and I promise to do just that.

To back track a bit, about a month ago I snagged a ride with Ryan up to Hartland Christian Camp when Cornerstone took their 4th and 5th graders for a weekend Winter Camp. We were hoping the snow would dump from the sky but we unfortunately, were a week early. (The whole camp was snowed in the following week - go figure!!). Regardless the ground had a bit of snow remaining from a previous storm and the hour we arrived, the snow made an appearance for an hour or so. The kids freaked out - Thought it was the most awesome thing that could have happened! I could not help but laugh at these Bay Area kids pretending they knew how to handle snow!

The weekend was a blast! Despite battling a relapse of that nasty cold that was going around - We treked about with cameras trying to capture the smiles that could be found all around. Check out the Zone's blog for a video from the weekend! Just follow the link below...

Check out the Video Here!