Preggy pics...

Many of you have been eager for pregnant photos. I took some last week (@10 wks). There is not much to show yet. Here are the pics and you can see a little baby bump. It is so exciting, and beautiful to be pregnant. I love every bit of it, and cannot wait to meet our little one.

P.S. I took the photo of the lilli pads in a pond. It was taken at the Botanical Gardens, here in MO.

I will post more as the belly gets bigger.

Pics to add in

At the cheescake factory, celebrating my 30th.

PLEASE don't say the N word!!!

I am so appalled. I was in the ladies restroom and heard a lady talking on her cell phone to her friend about a guy she refered to as, "Lazy A*s N-word" I am sorry, but that is not nessecary no matter who the person is. This is 2008, it is no longer 1940's when people rudely called black people the N-word. This is 70 years later, a time where people should not be using that word at all! I hear it here and there and it bugs me. When ever I do hear a person say the N-word the person is a black person. It is as if it is "ok" for black people to call other black people by that, but then it is ofensive and out of line when any other race calls a black person an N-word?! Nobody should use that word any more. Please! I am a white person and I don't go around calling other white people, "cracker."



It was not like the gal in the restroom said the N-word just once, she kept on refering to this looser boyfriend by the N-word.

week 11

I have always heard about fathers-to-be having sympathy cravings, but never knew it was for real!? I went to the grocery store last night and didn't buy any rice cakes, which I normaly do...

Andrew wakes up at 2:30 AM! looking to snack on rice cakes! FUNNY. He comes back to bed, wakes me up asking where the rice cakes are, or if I bought any. "Andrew, it's 230, what do you need rice cakes for? I didn't buy any, sorry...go back to bed!"

He was up in the middle of the night with a food craving, I think it is so funny! Who is the pregnant person in this house hold?

The Secret is Out!

Andrew and I are pregnant! Yay. I am 9 weeks and 4 days preggy. We went to our first Dr. appointment yesterday. We were able to hear the heart beat and see our baby wiggling/dancing around in my tummy. It was so real and beautiful. I started to cry at how wonderful it was to be pregnant, and was so happy to BE pregnant finally. Earlier this year, in February I had a miscarriage, so this pregnancy is so precious to us! I am more cautious and taking good care of our little one inside me.

Above is the picture from the ultra sound! He/She looks like a monkey. So cute!

My Birthday Celebrations!

Turning 30 was fun. On Tuesday, my birthday, I worked the morning shift and was off at 3:30 for the rest of the day. At work I just figured a few of my coworkers would know it was my bday and wish me a happy one...I didn't know my name was going to be printed in the daily newsletter! Each department has a stand up before the shift starts, and go over the newsletter and what is going on in the hotel for the day. Through out the day coworkers who didn't really know me were coming up to me and wishing me a Happy Birthday. It was so odd. At first I was thinking, how did they know? Then I figured out the newsletter mentions it on the front page. "Birthdays today: Martiel in Front Office... Anniversaries: none" Johann from the concierge lounge made me a chocolate chip cookie, shaped like a 30. It was so cool, and very delicious. I shared it with my coworkers, and my manager broke off a piece of the 3 and afterwards it looked more like a 2. I jokingly said, "look, now I am 20 years old," pointing at the cookie.

Last night, on Friday, we meet up with some friends at the Cheesecake Factory. Carissa, Marlon, their two kids, Andrew, Jay, Julie and I were all there to celebrate. I was looking forward to the fish tacos all day. The last time I had the fish tacos from there was at the one in CA, over lunch with my cousin, Marci. YUM! Marlon ordered a Cubin sandwich, and the bread it is usually made with was out, and the manager comes over to apologise and makes the sandwich with a different bread choice, then she also gave him a complimentary cheese cake for his troubles.

Then the dessert! HAD TO HAVE A CHEESECAKE! I had the Dulce De Leche Carmel cheesecake. So rich and with a vanilla crust. Julie had the Banana Cream cheesecake, which tasted just like bananas, very good. Carissa had the chocolate brownie cheesecake. Carissa's daughter shared some of my cheesecake with me, and the guys didn't order any. They were all too full from the dinner portions.

Good times. Afterwards Andrew and I went to Ameristar Casino for a night cap and live music at the Blues bar. We went with Julie and her friend. I carpooled with Julie from the restaurant to help her find the way to Ameristar, only to get lost, and pass up the exit. We eventually found it. We stayed out till midnight, then headed home and called it a night. Turning 30 has been a fun week.

The countdown has ended!

I am officially 30 today and for the rest of this year. It feels like just another day. Friday I want to go to the Cheesecake Factory for a birthday dinner. This afternoon I am going to the mall to redesign a peridot ring I have. There is a jewelry store in the mall having a special today to revamp old jewelry, and use items you already have to make something new. This will be my birthday gift to myself. I have an old ring that is not as pretty as it could be. I will see what the store designer can do with it, and for a reasonable price...?

Cheers!

August 17th!

Two days left of being 29. August 19th I will be 3 decades old! No longer a 20 something age...

Just a freak out moment...ok it has passed. Woo hoo! bring on the 30! Yay me!


Happy Birthday Comments

My Mom the Avon Lady!

My mom, Gail, has been selling Avon all my life, and has made Avon into a full time career. I was raised by Avon products. Even my Christmas stockings were filled with Avon items, which was a huge red flag that Santa was probably my mom? Or that Santa placed orders from her to fill the stockings...because the elves were backed up at the toy factory... good one mom.

Times have changes since 1978, 30 years later she still delivers door to door, but now customers can visit her AVON Website! It is so 2008! When you finish ordering your favorite Avon goodies online, you have the option to ship directly to your home OR still be delivered by the Avon Lady, (my mom) Morro Bay customers only for that option.

With this website it will broaden her Avon career into friends and family who live far away (you!) and she still can be your very own Avon Lady but on line!

Check out the Mens store catagory, there are so many handy gadgets, watches with sports teams, boxers, etc. The holidays are coming up, ship direct will help with sending an order to someone on your check list. Save a trip to the post office!

My Mom's Avon site:
http://youravon.com/gailking





glitter-graphics.com

Fun times out at the Voodoo Lounge

Me, Thea, and Janae chillin at the Voodoo Lounge

Andrew doesn't smoke Cigars much, so he bought one at the Voodoo Lounge and only smoked half of it, and threw the rest out.

We have been watching a new tv series, called Mad Men. The show is set in the 1960's office drama with an ad agency. All the ad execs smoke a cigar to celebrate the new client gained to work on a commercial or slogan. People also use to drink brandy in their offices back then! I don't see how people could drink brandy through out the 8 hr shift at an office with out getting drunk and stupid, and staying focused on work? THEN after work at the end of the day the people in the office all go out to the local bar to drink some more! (as seen through this tv show). After watching the whole season 1 to catch up to season 2 (currently starting) Andrew has been turned onto cigars! ICK. What ever, he didn't even finish the one he had that night. It is just a phase. Neither of us smoke to begin with, it is just weird.

Sarah and Amanda, at the Voodoo lounge. I wanted that fruity martini!!! But I am the designated driver sticking to my Virgin, Strawberry Daiquiri.


After the Voodoo Lounge we headed to a dive bar for Karioke. A local hang out, called Rockin Gator. The pole behind Janae is one of a few in the bar all covered with stickers and beer labels from peoples bottles. I peeled off the label from Andrews beer and stuck it on the pole. There was a guy sitting at the table where the pole is and he saw me put the label on there and just gave me a nod, like it was a sign of coolness that I contributed to the collection.

Some of the girls went up to sing for Karaoke, this gal wasn't with our group, but she did a good job singing this song by Kid Rock. I like this song, and always crank it up in my car when it comes on the radio. It a funny song about people living in LA trying to make it big and be famous.

living in a right handed world!

Living in a right handed world! Even if I drink out of a soda can it is meant for right handed people!
Here is an example of drinking a soda, holding the can with your right hand, the logo is conveniently displayed. (photo below)

drinking a soda holding the can with your left hand (photo below) the logo is blocked and the nutrition label is showing.

Marketing has strategically placed the logo on the left side of the cans to fit into a right handed market of people. When I am drinking the soda or other canned beverage I am using my left hand and not displaying the brands logo. HA!

photos provided by the internet.

Back to license plates!!!

I am heading home from lunch with a friend of mine and I am driving behind a car with a personizled plate. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!?

Can you figure this out and then leave a comment below to tell me what I am not figuring out?

The plate reads, "ITS HKY"

It is hicky? It is Hockey? HUH???

I know that this is a personalized plate, because the generic plates have to include numbers as well. This one is trying to communicate something, and it is probably so easy, I am just looking too hard. LOL

Yesterday I did see one plate that read, "IOU POP" which translates to: I owe you dad! As in the dad bought her the car she is driving around in. I think...? It was a BMW Suv. Cute.

Then for people with bumper stickers!!!! Don't put political stickers on your bumper! They are permanant and get outdated! How about all the Hillary Clinton supporters who placed a "Hillary Clinton '08" on thier car? AND now she is not even running for president. She fell out of the race and now some people have a sticker stuck to their cars filled with false hopes.

I have a bumper sticker on my car from when I lived in Burbank, CA. It is for the local radio station, Star 92.5 FM. I am driving around Missouri now advertising a radio station that does not exsist here. So I too have outdated myself. Bumper stickers are hard to pick out which to permanently put on your car, with out getting stuck with one you can't take off later on. OOOH, That sentance was deep.

I am rambling on now...anyway, could one of my blog readers please figure out what the plate means? Thank you.

License plates are confusing!!!

Growing up in California, the license plates all start with a number and have seven characters of letters and numbers mixed together at random combonations. The personalized plates read cute and catchy phrases using up to 7 characters and can start with a letter instead of a number. So if you see a California plate with a letter as the 1st character, try to read what it says because some of the personal plates are a chalange. Back when I first got my drivers license, I was standing in a very long line with my mom. We had enough time on our hands to look through this giant binder listing EVERY personalized plate in California! This way you could see if your phrase was already used and needed to alternate it a bit to get on your own car. This is when I first realised the plates had 7 characters and my name also had 7 letters, of course the light bulb goes off and we both flip over to the M section. MARTIEL was already taken! Some one is driving around a car IN CALIFORNIA with my name on thier personalized, license plate!? Is this another person named Martiel? AND this person is somewhere in California??? 1 in a million odds! Oh well.

Years later when I was an Interior Designer in LA I bought a personalized license plate. It read, "(heart shape) DEC8TN" Can you figure it out?


It translates to Love Decorating! and the heart shape is one of the characters to choose in personalizing your plates in California.

Later on we moved to Ohio, and the plates all started with a letter and had 7 characters. This was so confusing for me to adjust to, when I was use to the letter plates in CA being the personilzed plates...and here in Ohio I would sit in traffic trying to read a plate only to figure out it was a random selection plate and not a catchy phrase. Silly. Some of the plates were personalized and some were not.

THEN I move to Missouri, where I currently live. The plates here are back to starting with a number, and then a mixture of numbers and letters. AND the plates in Missouri are only 6 characters long and not 7 as in California. My name would not be on a Missouri plate...

Today I went to the DMV, to renew my plates and add on the little sticker for the next year. ONLY this year Missouri is changing plate backgrounds, from the teal and white stripe, to a white, with blue outline of the states shape on it and a little bird on the bottom. This means I had to get new plates to replace the "old design" plates, that I have on my car. AND!!! these plates start with a letter now instead of the number (still with 6 characters)! Now it will start to get confusing to read plates on cars durring traffic time. I will have a harder time knowing which are random, and which are personalized. Just as I did in Ohio, with reading plates, I could not tell sometimes if a plate was personalized and just didn't make sence to me or if it was a random plate on a car. ARRG!

My Name is a Town in France!

I googled my name, Martiel, to see what popped up. Google Earth shows a town named, Martiel, France! I want to go here and see my name everywhere...like on street signs or as Martiel's Cafe, Pub, Etc. Shops...or a milage sign that reads, "15 miles to Martiel" HAHAHA....only in France the nilage marker may read in Kilometers? I think? I made it on the map! The town of MARTIEL!

Check the site out:
http://www.maplandia.com/france/midi-pyrenees/aveyron/villefranche-de-rouergue/martiel/

Google your name and see what comes up.

random pics from the FL trip

Looks like Andrew made a new friend!

More to come...

Just posting some pics.

There is not much to write about on my blog tonight, I just have some pics to share.
-Martiel

YES, I entered a coloring contest at my local grocier store! (didn't win) I played around with a fun photo editor program: All edited by me below!

Happy July

Andrew and I celebrated the 4th of July here in St. Louis, MO. We went to a carnival with Carissa, Marlon, and thier 2 kids. It was an All American Classic. There were carnival rides, a farris wheel, games to play and win a prize for 50 cents a try, popcorn, cotton candy, and hot dogs, etc. We started off with 20 ride tickets, each ride would "cost" about 2 or 3 tickets. At the end of our carnival fun, we had 6 tickets left and passed them down to a little girl waiting in line to go on the wiggle worm ride.

There was one carnival game, which I thought was a rip-off. The man had a booth with a radar gun hooked up to read the speed of a baseball pitch, the person playing gets 2 balls for TWO DOLLARS!!! ...to first throw one ball, and the meter reads the speed, then with the second ball you throw it trying to guess your speed, based on the first ball to make a ball park guess (pun intended)... the guess needs to be exact in order to win a prize!!! All of that for $2.00, is a rip-off, and most likely no prize in the end. I took a stab at the game and first I threw my pitch at a speed of 24, then had to guess the next balls speed and went down to 23, only to get a speed of 25! stupid game. I throw like a girl! haha oh yeah that's cuz I am a girl! Andrew threw at a speed of 35, an 38.

When we were waiting to go on the farris wheel there was a bridal party with the bride and groom all getting on the wheel and the photographer was there taking the wedding photos. (I took some with my camera, to post later). I thought this was such a cool idea to be married on the 4th and have a classic carnival back drop to use for wedding photos. Later, the happy coulple took photo opps by the cotton candy vender. A very cool idea.

After the carnival festivities it started to get dark for the firework show to start, over by where we had parked ended up being a perfect spot to watch the fireworks, we all sat in the parking lot with our pop up chairs and watermellon in a cooler all set up and sitting pretty.

The 4th was a blast!

Dolphin Swim

Another fun time in Florida was spent at the Theater of the Sea. I had the chance to swim with a dolphin! I also have some pics of our time at the aligator park. We rode in an air boat down a swamp and looked out for aligators.
The dolphin is pulling me as a grab hold of his fin. FUN!
Ready for our swamp tour in the air boat.
There was a "Don't swim in the water" sign...DUH!
Then had the chance to actually hold a little aligator! as well as a banana snake.

You will never guess what I did today!!!

Day 4 in Key Largo. Andrew and I took a day trip down to Key West, FL. (about 2 1/2 hours away) We paid $30 each to PARASAIL!!!!! yes, you have read this correctly, I, miss.scardycat of most things went Parasailing! Wild. I am so proud of myself. It was a blast, and such a smooth ride too. I went up there with Andrew as a pair harnest in, to do this together for the first time for the both of us. The trip upwards into the air from the boat was smooth, and the arial view was calm and beautiful. Then the parasail starts to return back towards the boat and the guide dunked us in the water, like a dip and then back up in the air.

So fun! DO IT DO IT DO IT, if you have never been, I can do it you certainly can also. I just did it and tried not to think too far ahead about it, or I would have squirmed out of it, and then miss out on an opportunity of a life time.