The big 3-0

I turned the big 3-0 this past Sunday, Dec. 6, and Mama came to visit for the birthday and the ultrasound (and then they wouldn't let her go back), and what I wanted to do for my birthday was go to Nashville to Gaylord Opryland Hotel to see A Country Christmas and then to the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. So above are a few pics from said trip. We had a very nice time, and decided to shop a little when we got there so we missed the early show, and I thought, oh well we will catch the 7 PM and still be home by 11 PM (this granny has to get her shuteye in as much as possible before baby arrives). Well, the Rockettes show was really good, but about 30 minutes in, they had "technical difficulties" and put the damn show on hold for over an hour with NOTHING to do but sit there. Finally the show resumed, and we got home at 12:30. Needless to say, we were all quite tired the next morning. However, I thoroughly enjoyed my birthday with the hubs and mumsey.

I'm trying to figure out....

how to post a picture, then words below, then another picture, etc. I see where yall do it, but I can't figure it out. Sometimes I'm good with computers, other times, not so much.

It's a BOY!

It's a BOY, as the first picture depicts. We have pretty much decided on the name "Cash", but we haven't come up with a middle name yet. I had to go to a perinatologist for this ultrasound just as a precaution since my brother has Prader-Willi Syndrome, but we got good news that my chances of having a special needs child are no higher than the average woman, so I don't have to go back to see that doctor. He said Cash looks good and healthy and he weighs a whopping 5 ounces. He's growing like weeds because so is my big ole belly!

First look at Baby Collins

Had my ultrasound today....Baby Collins had a good strong heartbeat, and there's just one baby in there! The lady doing the ultrasound did see cyst on my right ovary and she said at first she thought it was a twin. I'm not sure if I'd rather it be a twin or a cyst. Here's the first glimpse at baby we got:

First Doctor Visit

After waiting what seemed like forever (both since I found out I was pregnant and today at the doctor's office), I finally had my first pregnancy doctor visit today. Poor Clint forgot about it and wasn't able to go, and I started to get a little nervous about it and my awesome friend, Caroline, offered to go with me, and how grateful I am! I really hate that she had to sit there with me for three hours, only to just chat with the doctor and not get to hear the heartbeat. Dr. Boxell tried, but she said it was too soon (and I also think it was because of the extra layers of fatness on my belly). So, I go for an ultrasound on October 27, which Clint better not forget about, and then for my next doctor visit November 17. Thanks again to Caroline for going with me. You have no idea how much I appreciate it!

As you may already know....

I'm not real sure who all reads this except for maybe Sarah and Caroline (guess I need to send another email), and you two already know, but Clint and I found out yesterday that I am PREGNANT!! I'm estimating that I'm about 5 weeks along but I can't get in to see the doc until October 14. That puts me due in May.

The limbo in the kitchen with the swiffer

My gift to Clint

Here are a couple of pictures of Clint opening and reviewing the gift I worked my tail off on putting together....it's a quite incredible (if I must say) scrapbook of all kinds of pictures that I got my hands on! I am very proud of it and I think he loved it! Thanks Caro for helping me so much with it and allowing me to spend so much time at your house making it!

Clint's Surprise 31st Birthday Luau

We had Clint's party on Sunday, and though I know he figured out I was having a party for him, he did say he was surprised when he got there. Special thanks to Caroline and her mom, Lorene, for helping me decorate and helping out during the party and all, and to Sheila as well. I could NOT have done this party without yall! And thanks to all who came to the party and helped out! Needless to say, it got pretty wild later in the night. Here are a few pics:

More party pics

2nd Annual Nina Seiler Birthday Celebration - "Party like a Rockstar"

Here are just a few pictures from Nina's birthday party Friday night. As I already knew, I cannot party like I used to. I was exhausted and ready for bed at about 11:30, but managed to keep on truckin till about 1:30. Whew! P.S. Me and the girls were the Spice Girls.

Snack

Lorelai calling me snack.....I just love it!

http://blogballentine.blogspot.com/2009/07/snack.html

A great article...

This article is an incredible story of a father and his son who has Prader-Willi Syndrome, which is what my brother, Klint, has. So many of the everyday struggles they have are so familiar. It really makes me miss Klint and realize what a crappy sister I am. I will do better. It also makes me want to do something that gives back more than what I do now.

http://www.explorehoward.com/news/9203/i-will-always-fed-you/

Friends are friends forever.......

Towards the end of the evening, we let Bagel in because she doesn't like hearing fireworks (nor does Darcy). When she comes in, she lays right on the mat in front of the door and rarely moves. Well, finally Lorelai was able to pin her down and love on her. At one time Lorelai was laying on Bagel, then sitting on her, but she moves pretty fast so I couldn't get all the shots. I'm shocked Bagel just laid there! Friends for life!

Couple more pictures

4th of July Collins Family Shindig Plus a few friends!

We had a big time Saturday for the 4th. Some of Clint's family came over and Caroline, Lorelai and her dad Drew, and Vincent came over. Plus Mike Gordon, a friend of Clint's and ex-husband of Natalie, Clint's cousin. Of course Natalie and Lily (her and Mike's daughter) were there, as well as Natalie's boyfriend, Todd. I know what you're thinking - what? Yeah I did too but they are friends. I can't quite imagine something like that working with me and Clint if one of our exes were around us, but whatev! I'm glad they get along so well. I tried to snap pics of who I could, but as you will notice there are none of me. Like I was going to take a picture in my bathing suit!! And not everyone is accounted for in the pictures either. Not everyone really cared to have their picture taken, as you can see by Sarah's expression in the picture of her and Chris. Sorry yall, but I had to have some memories captured!

A few Easter pictures

Here are a few pictures from Easter of this year. Yeah, I'm a little late posting them. These are Kelley's kiddos....my have they grown. And Puddon's azaleas.

What a weekend!

I've been pretty bad at updating this here blog, and I certainly haven't had the time or energy to do the Not Me Monday. So what's been going on with the Collins? Uh, not too much. My stepsister Breanna has been staying with us for two weeks. She came back with me two weeks ago when I went home. I was really hoping to have talked some sense into her and get her back on track, but I don't know if I made any progress. She went to court with me a few times, and we took a little tour of the jail. She thought it was disgusting and said she never wanted to go there. Progress? I hope so. But, this past weekend Daddy and Pam came up for the weekend and took Bre back yesterday. It was good to have them over, and then Clint's family (Chris, Faye, Sarah, Dick, Leon, Sheila, Randall, Phillip, Myra, David and Nash) came over Saturday evening for a cookout and pool party. They told a bunch of stories of some crazy things they have done (especially Sarah and Faye) and we laughed our heads off! Sadly, I did not take any pictures. I didn't think anyone would appreciate having their picture taken in their swimsuit. I know I wouldn't. But, we had a good time. Unfortunately, it's back to work. Blah!

Back from the Beach....

I made it back in one piece. It was midnight last night when I got home, and I woke up poor Clint. I really enjoyed my little getaway, but at least I have the weekend to recoup before I go back to work. I don't know why, but my allergies went haywire the whole time I was there, and they haven't let up since I got home. I sure hope I'm not coming down with a cold b/c I feel like crap today. I didn't take one picture with my camera, but Caroline and Apryl did, so I will post those later.

Not me Saturday

I did not just lose everything I typed in this "not me" saturday that I am not posting because I have all the time in the world to do it on Mondays. Where did it go?

So, I shall resume: As I was not saying, I am not about to go stark mad being couped up in this house because it has not been raining all week and I'm not lacking in my absorption of Vitamin D. Last night, I did not make my first attempt ever at making a homemade low sugar cheesecake, and of course I did follow the directions to a T, which did not result in my cheesecake tasting like crap. I'm not upset about it. No waste of time and money there. Clint did not make fun of me when the cheesecake was in the oven because it was not blowing up like a fully blown up balloon.

Since I have kept yall so updated on the life of Kandi (and Clint) for the past few weeks, I'm not about to attempt to make up for the last three weeks that I haven't kept my posts updated. I did not go home for Easter and have a good time, and as always, I did not get a little sad when I had to leave after such a short visit. The weekend after that, I did not make a short trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey and New York City (Sat - Mon) because my buddy Nina does not gamble so much in Tunica to give us free trips. I did not shop till I dropped every day I was there, and didn't have a lick of fun. And I was not so exhausted that I couldn't move when I got home from all the walking and shopping we did not do while we were there. I did not only lose $5 in the slot machine because I was not on a very limited budget since it was not the end of the month when we went.

This past week at work has not been so mentally and physically stressful and exhausting that I have not come very close to punching someone in the face. I did not receive approximately eight "love letters" in one week from clients requesting all kinds of things that do not take up the majority of my time checking into things and responding to them. I do not sometimes wish that inmates did not have access to paper, pens, pencils and law books so they will not leave me alone for just a little bit so I can rest and quit getting these "love letters" with time-consuming requests. Therefore, since I do not have court the second week of May (I really don't) I am not itching to go to the beach to relax. So, after a stressful few days of planning that getaway, I am not beach bound on Friday for a whole week!!

Bella

So while I'm on hold, I suppose I'll try and do something constructive. I lost my Bella for a couple of days. She ran away on Sunday, but I found her yesterday. For those of you who don't know, she is my first child, a gray and black tabby cat, who I rescued from the humane society in Monroe, LA in January 2000. She is almost 10 years old. She is a skiddish, witchy thing, but I still love her. So, I let her out back Sunday night (not uncommon) about 9 or 10 PM and when I went to let her in Monday morning, she was not at the door. She has never run off before, but she has gotten out of the gate twice, but each time she couldn't figure out how to get back in, so she was waiting for me around front. Apparently she walks the top of the fence too, but I've never seen it (that's what my neighbor said). So, I panicked and looked everywhere for her...all over the yard, house, shed, garage, street, etc, and I drove up the road to look. No Bella. I went on in to work but I was very very stressed out. She's lived a very sheltered life and doesn't know much other than my couch and bed. I went home twice during the day to look, but still no Bella. I passed out flyers that afternoon when I got home and one of my neighbors said she thought she saw her earlier that day so I told her to call me if she saw her again. Lo and behold, yesterday afternoon I was at home b/c I had someone there to look at my pool, and Peggy, my neighbor called and said Bella was in her garage. I ran out with the kennel and some food and coaxed Bella out of there. Evidently she found something fun to do b/c she keeps wanting to go back out! Needless to say, after this incident, her outside privileges are hereby permanently revoked!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Gotta vent for a sec - I'm currently on hold with AT&T to remove some stupid $5.48 per month CRAP that my husband put on his phone months ago and never removed (HBO Mobile) and this moron that I'm talking to cannot understand me and apparently can't find it on my bill!! ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Not Me Monday

My friend Sarah apparently has decided not to do this anymore....just when I get the hang of it...what???

I didn't leave the office early today to come home and take a nap. I wasn't tired from getting up before I usually do. Thursday through Saturday I didn't go to Murfreesboro for a Death Penalty seminar, secretly with the hopes that I might skip it and shop. I did attend it though, but I didn't shop some and enjoy my little get away. Friday night there weren't a bunch of squealing giggling girls in the room next to me who did not do said things until 1:00 A.M. That did not keep me up and did not make me want to go knock on their door and punch them in the face (I really didn't actually follow through). Luckily, I had not brought my earplugs (that I don't sleep with every night because my husband does not snore like a trucker), so after 1:00 A.M. I didn't finally go to sleep, only to have to wake up at 7:30 A.M. on a SATURDAY for a seminar, which I did not have to sit through for eight hours. Nope, didn't do it. And for those of you who know me, you don't know that I can't function on less than eight hours of sleep per night, so of course I wasn't sleepy as can be and ready to lay out in the floor at the seminar and take a nap. What did not keep me going through the day was that I had not planned to stop in Nashville at the Cheesecake Factory for of course, cheesecake. I did not skimp on my meals on Saturday just to make sure I could eat cheesecake. When I did not buy the piece of cheesecake, I did not savor the taste and make it last as long as possible (and I didn't make yummy noises at the same time) and instead of buying the low carb piece to eat right there, I did not buy the "original" thinking it was the "plain" cheesecake, which has half the calories as the original. And finally, before I left that God-sent place, I did not go in and buy an entire cheesecake to bring home (low carb of course). I didn't bring it home to share with my diabetic husband and I haven't eaten a piece every day for the last three days!! Still have four pieces to go! If there's any food in this world that I could not eat every day, probably more than once a day, that's not cheesecake.

Not Me Monday

I did not attempt to do this earlier but was unable to finish it because I had no energy and had not spent almost the entire day in court. When I came home from work, I did not immediately go to the bed and attempt a nap because court is not so utterly exhausting. When I woke up from my nap, I didn't sit on my lazy rear for a couple of hours playing on the internet. And I didn't testify for the first, and second, time today because two of my former clients were not dissatisfied with my representation of them so they didn't file post-conviction petitions on me. I have never been on the witness stand before today, and I was not the least bit nervous because it appears to be so easy. Finally, after staying home for the past few weekends, I'm not getting cabin fever and certainly not looking forward to being out of town for the next three weekends. If I don't get a real vacation soon, I might not have my sanity much longer....

Christmas 2008