Tuesday, April 21, 2009

A little bundle of joy...

Yes! We are expecting! :)
We are due November 5th and truly thrilled! This is a picture of Baby Nusbaum at 9 Weeks! I am currently rolling into my 12th week and feeling alot better. I was really sick (I mean REALLY sick) from weeks 6-11, I honestly didn't know if I was going to make it. LOL I thought to myself, it's like having the bad flu 24/7.

But then, during week 9 when we had our first ultrasound, it all seemed worth it. To see this little person, heart beating away, moving around on its own- - - we fell into instant love of this little being. I said to my doctor, it's all worth it... the throwing up, the constant nausea- - - it's all worth it, with a big smile on my face. :)

We finally told our parents at Easter 2 weekends ago. I got two larger green plastic eggs and put an ultrasound photo in each of them (for each set of parents). My parents were in total shock and THRILLED, while Ryan's mom fell to her knees crying and his dad was very emotional as well, and THRILLED! It was mostly shock because we have not mentioned NOR hinted of any kind that we were trying for a baby. So SHOCK, EXCITEMENT & TEARS would pretty much sum up that experience! It was great!

We have our next ultrasounds at the end of April, and during this one, we will be able to hear the heartbeat! :) So excited for that. In the mean time, my sickness level has gone WAY down... barely any at all! I also have formed a small baby bump, which I will hopefully take a photo of this weekend to post. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

xox,
Erin

Friday, April 10, 2009

Raise your hand if you need a vacation...

I DO! I DO!

I tell ya, I am dying. I'm sitting here at work exhausted, raining outside, cold- I'm just done. You know when you have reached that point when you're like "Ok, I need a vacation."

I have officially reached that point.

I you can tell, I haven't been blogging much- again- tired. So just burnt out on everything I can't even get enough motivation to blog, nothing is inspiring me.

Lucky, there is a light at the end of the tunnel... about a 3 week long tunnel. I am slowly crawling my way there.

That light is Vegas.

At the beginning of May, my sisters and I are off to our annual sister's trip to Vegas. Honestly, that's about all I can think about. Sun shine, good food catered to me, relaxing by the pool, no schedule, no emailing or phone calls, no making dinner, no laundry, no cleaning, NOTHING! AHHHHH! I can barely stand it.

I need a vacation. I need THIS vacation.

Will I make it? Well, I'm still crawling. Vegas would be the only light right now that would keep me going.

Vegas.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Yo!

Hi everyone. I know... I am a terrible blogger. But I have been so busy at work and on top of that, not feeling well for about a week due to this cold... I just have shunned myself from the computer.

Nothing too new going on. I haven't been shopping in like 2 weeks. Last time I shopped was went a ran to Kohls' with a 15% off coupon and got a cute black graphic tee for like 10 bucks...
Cute, huh?

I have been happy to announce that we grilled out for the first time this past week! I love beer brats on the grill- they are my favorite summer time food! So we had those one night, and hamburgers this past weekend. YUM!

Then it snowed on Sunday- BOO! :(

Well, that's about all to report for now. Have a great week!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Thursday, March 19, 2009

The Hurt Noone Sees...

This whole thing with Rhianna and Chris Brown is just awful. But it hits close to home.

I have been there, I was a victim of emotional abuse. Its' all very familiar although I have reached a "forgive" state in my life. Christ has helped me with that along with a couple of very dear dear friends. I was emotionally abused during my high school years. No one would believe me. He was such a "nice guy", so "quiet" and was "everyone's friend". People, open your eyes. No one would help me, no one wanted to see it. Everyone thought that I was the problem. No one could see it. Some still wouldn't believe me if I told them all the things that happened. But it happened. And I am not afraid to speak out. It was abuse. Never again.

I was stalked, threatened, and mentally abused. He would drive past my house to check up on me, he would get mad at me when I went out with friends, he forbid me to talk to any other guy, he would get mad that I wore spandex shorts while playing volleyball, he would be fine around his friends but would look all mad around me- like I made him upset. He didn't ever want me to wear nice clothes, he wanted me to always wear a sports bra because I had bigger boobs, he would talk to all sorts of girls, but when I sat in class next to a boy - he would get SOOO mad at me. He would tell me he loved me and wanted to marry me, but never showed that around his friends. He would say "I HOPE I CAN TRUST YOU" about 1000 times a day. This person knows who he is. I have forgave him since he was not right in the head and will not ever let this happen to another person close to me EVER.

No one could see it. No one would help me. Again, they all though I was the problem. I was not depressed. I was the reason HE was always mad. HA! Whatever!

I want to become an advocate for teenage abuse. I want to write a book to tell my story and to help other young girls to get out. I used to be afraid to talk about it, but not anymore. I used to be afraid to write about it, but not anymore. God saved me. He gave to me two best friends that are far greater than any pain I went through. One I married and he saved me too. My husband was sent from God to help heal me and to know what true love is. He is amazing. He is my angel on earth.

If I ever have a daughter, I swear on my life she will never go through what I went through. I promise you that. If I ever have a son, I will be sure he treats women with all due respect.

I can't go back and change the past, but I can take what I have been through and learned and help others. If you know anyone who may be in an abusive relationship or need help, I am always here to talk.

This is from the Oprah website:

Warning Signs of Teen Dating Abuse
Warning signs of teen dating abuse

An alarming number of teenage girls are being controlled or abused by their boyfriends by the time they graduate from high school. As a parent, you must know the signs of abuse in order to stop it. Dr. Jill Murray's warning signs can help you prevent your daughter from being a victim.


The Warning Signs:
  • Isolation: Does your daughter have fewer friends than she did before meeting her boyfriend? This speaks to the isolation that an abusive boy imposes on a girlfriend. He might isolate her first from her friends, then from her outside activities and then her family. She can then become emotionally dependent on him, and find it difficult to leave.
  • Emotional Changes: In the early infatuation stage of any relationship girls are often happy. Once the boy becomes abusive, she begins feeling sad and desperate. She may cry more or want to be alone.
  • Constant Communication: Does your daughter's boyfriend constantly call or text her, and she must call him back immediately? He might ask her where she is, what she's doing, who she's with, what time she'll be back and how many other boys she has spoken to.
  • Jealousy Issues: You might notice the boyfriend's jealousy. If your daughter looks at or speaks casually with another boy, does he get upset? Did he tell her that he loved her early in the relationship? This is his "hook." Your daughter might find this romantic, but it could be another red flag for jealousy and issues with control.
  • The Boyfriend's Background: If your daughter's boyfriend comes from a tragic home life, it could mean trouble. He might not be far behind in his parent's footsteps if they use drugs or are abusive to him or each other.
  • The Need to Impress: When he gives her "advice" about her choice in friends, hairstyle, clothes or makeup, notice if she's following his every word. Your daughter is likely in complete denial and may be in fear of what he will do to her if she doesn't change.
  • Making Excuses for Him: Your daughter might stick-up for her boyfriend, defending his words and actions. Don't let her denial force you to ignore your gut! He may have convinced her that she's too sensitive when he calls her names or told her he's "only kidding."
Most importantly, if you keep the line of communication open with her, you'll be able to notice more signs. For more information, call the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline at 866-331-9474 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE.

I was healed. I want to be able to help heal others.

Monday, March 9, 2009

It's Been A While...

Hello everyone! I feel like I haven't blogged in forever. Yes, I am still alive! lol

I guess the first thing I will mention is that I am now a proud co-owner of a bass boat! Ryan's dream is to have a bass boat. Everytime I would do something to update the house, he would say "Don't forget about the bass boat." So as of yesterday, Ryan and Jordan (his cousin) purchased a REALLY nice Champion bass boat. The only other time I saw him that happy is on our wedding day! Ha! He deserves it, and I am very happy that he finally got one. They plan on doing fishing tournaments, so hopefully they win some BIG BUCKS, and let me tell ya, you CAN win some BIG BUCKS at those bass tournaments.

Other than that, just enjoying the much warmer weather and talking about our list of things to do outside this summer...

Have a super week!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

You know the saying...

You gotta spend money to make money. Well I'm changing it to "You gotta spend money to SAVE money". This is my new quote for the year and I will tell you why.

I have decided to SPEND the money on good detergent for our wardrobe to avoid having to buy more clothes because they look bad; in return SAVING money.

Yesterday I took a trip to Walmart where I purchased the following:
  • Tide TotalCare: More expensive than most detergent, but the return is keeping my nice work and going out clothes looking like new and not fading. I bought the biggest container they had ($18.98) and I am going to use it ONLY on my work clothes and nice summer clothes.
  • Woolite for Darks: This only comes in a smaller container, but my thought is to use this ONLY on Ryan's work uniform (all black) and my dark pants and shirts. We know how faded black attire is just a horrible fashion don't.
  • Purex: A cheaper brand of detergent that I will use on things that do not need special care (i.e. socks, bras, old t-shirts)
Word to all the money savers out there! If you didn't know this already, you can go online to just about any brand website of cleaning/laundry products and get a coupon for their products. Tide, Downey, Woolite, Swiffer.... I have all went online to get coupons for these products! I also go to Crest alot to get coupons for their white strips! Check'em out!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Spring Fever and Bargain Shopping...

I know I'm not the only one thinking this... When is spring coming? Eh. Luckily, I do not believe Ohio will be getting any more terrible snow storms, so I am thinking positive and hoping for some sunny days soon.

Stores have all their summer stuff out, alot is already picked over due to the upcoming spring break for college kids (example: Target and Old Navy at Lennox has NOTHING left barely).

This summer, I want to wear TONS of dresses and skirts. They also must be work appropriate, so I have my eye on some, but is still waiting to see what else comes out. I have also vowed to never spend more than $30 on a single item I buy for this summer's wardrobe. With the tough times we are going through, and the serious need to save money, I ton myself that I would go cheap but cute for summer! And  you can TOTALLY do it. Target, Old Navy, Walmart, and Forever 21 will be my only stores I shop at this spring. There is no need to spend $78 bucks for a little black dress (sorry JCrew, I love you but I can't do it). 

So today, I decided to take a lunch trip to Target. I wanted to check out what they all had and kind of get a feel of what I REALLY needed for spring/summer, and try to check prices so I get the best deal. I picked  up a darling dress for 21.99, it was blue cotton, strapless, adorable! But then, I went into the shoe department...
And I walked out with these little babies! I LOVE shoes, but love only shoes that are comfortable and NOT $100 bucks a pair! These ballet flats, which I love with pants AND dresses, were only $12.99 a piece! I put the dress back and got this bronze pair and zebra print pair. They are super soft, so the material moves with your foot and won't rub the back of your feet (which is always a plus). I figured I will wear these alot more than the dress and for only 12.99 each, I couldn't pass it up! They also came in white, black metallic and lepoard prints. I really want the black flats too, they were all sold out of the 8 1/2's. I usually wear 9's, but they are kind of wide and I have a super narrow foot, so I sized down.
Great Deal! Easy on the Budget! Check 'em out if you need some new shoes for summer!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Around The Office...

It is done! Finally done! The new computer room. Here are the pictures I promised.


Here  you see the back right corner of the room. The large book shelf that I made in college holds all binders and work stuff. I have a large 3" binder for all our paperwork we need to keep (Credit Cards, Insurance, Retirement, House Bills, Erin Medical, Ryan Medical, House Info, etc)
I found this is the best way for us to keep the information.


When you walk in, this is the left wall, Ryan's wall. We got guitar wall m
ounts to display his guitars. His large amp is the in the back left corner (shown). He loves it, I love it. You can also see the new floor!



This is my desk and area. The cubes to the left (from Target) of the de
sk has my printer, paper, envelopes, camera accessories, camera, photos (blue box) and cards. The cubes to the right houses all of my scrapbooking supplies. It has my old mac sitting on the top to play movies and beside it is my paper stash. I hung 2 paper lanterns (from World Market) and the shelves are also from World Market on clearance!

And here is my other embellishement wall and sewing station! I love it!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Computer Room Update...

First off, I apologize for the bad photo quality, but I couldn't find my camera in the mess so I used my phone. So last night I gave the trim a nice coat of white paint and decided to get into organizational mode. I started with my scrapbooking stuff, and I mean... just started. I have alot more to do. 

You can see the Making Memories Embellishment Center (from Michaels) on the wall, which I have started to fill up. Starting from the top, the "N" I painted the same color as the sewing cart. The top row of the shelving unit has small stamps, buttons and tags. The second row has small plastic containers that have small embellishments in them such as brads and clips. The next row has MM paints and will have my acrylic paints on there soon. The second to last row has flowers and ribbon, then the two bottom rows are the ribbon holders. 

The sewing cart is just a utility cart I got at Walmart for $34 bucks and I primed and painted it an ocean blue color. I found the baskets at Michaels for the first shelf. One holds fabric, the other holds other sewing supplies. The bottom shelf (that you can't really see) has my sewing box and my sewing book. I think it looks great!

Also, you can see a picture of the floor next to the wall and curtains (that obviously need ironed). It looks so great! We need to get a 8x10 rug this weekend before we can really start to put the desks and rest of the storage in the room. Enjoy!