The Warrens

Much To Be Thankful For.

2011-11-13T09:36:00.000-08:00

Well, I've waited SO long to post that my thanksgiving background is still in season...or in season again?....what what?!? Yes, I am all about saving time & effort...I guess that's a way to save time! :)

Much has happened in the past year ~ many joys, struggles, and much learning.

Brief Recap ~ We moved to Texas in July. :) So grateful to be closer to family! WE LOVE IT! Josh is now 13 months old ~ and we are settling in for some big life changes in the next few months! God has been good and gracious to us over the past year!

We are overwhelmed with thankfulness to the Lord for His abundant grace to provide Jon a job with American Eagle! He started his pre-training for the CRJ yesterday & begins official training with Eagle in 3 weeks! It is a huge load off our shoulders ~ as the "light at the end of the tunnel" is more visable. We are encouraged to know Jon's career is moving in the right direction and we soon (in the coming years) we will be financially stable.

I have also started two new jobs ~ nannying. I am working for 2 believing families & both have been GREAT situations so far. One of the families has three kiddos, which with Josh makes me caring for 4 children under 5 years of age...what great practice this is for me as our family grows! I am grateful beyond words for children with hearts to listen and obey ~ and parents who love the Lord & desire that for their children. The only downside is we sure are getting sick ALOT. The kiddos are sharing germs & our family is running through the fall bugs like water. So far (in the last two weeks), we have had stomach flu, strep, ear infections, pneumonia, cold/flu bug, and more ear infections. I am so grateful for medicines to help our baby get better. I had this thought this week ~ "I can't imagine living 100-200 years ago without medicines to help your children recover"...that thought honestly devastates me. I was so humbled as I realized and remembered ~ the mommies in 3rd world countries still live with that thought. They love their children just as much as I love mine & want the best for their babies as I do for mine...yet their circumstances (which mostly are out their control) are much different. How blessed we are to live in America where medicines are freely available and medical care is abundant. It makes throwing up, coughing, humidifiers, anti nausea meds, gunky noses, and antibiotics look like a cake walk....We have much to be thankful for.

It's Official: I'm a Blog Slacker.

2011-01-14T18:25:00.000-08:00

Well, friends & loved ones...its been way to long since I've posted. WAY too Long. Mommying has consumed my time & I LOVE it. I am also now working ALOT. Its keeping me super busy & soooo I've become a blogging slacker.

Here is a quick update:

Josh is now 3 & 1/2 months old ~ its gone by sooo fast! He is batting, grabbing and pulling forward to sit up! Craziness! He is definitely a Momma's boy ~ as he spends the majority of his time with me (while his daddy works 6 days a week). He thinks Patty-Cake is funny & has started laughing regularly! We love him more than we can express ~ he is a gift from the Lord ~ we are so blessed.

I'll post some pictures soon! :)

Shaklee Invitation :)

2010-11-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

Jon and I wanted to share with you our new endeavor, as we have recently become independent distributors for the Shaklee Corporation. We are very excited about starting to sell Shaklee's wide range of products: nutrition, weight management, health & beauty, and home cleaning!

Jon and I believe wholeheartedly in the nutrition supplements that Shaklee offers and want to share them with you! We also love the GET CLEAN line of cleaning products for the home. We believe Shaklee is a solid, green, clean, smart company ~ that strives to help make your life healthier.

Our Shaklee beginnings started long ago - when Jon was just a wee one! His parents have had him taking Shaklee vitamins for as long as he can remember! When we got engaged ~ I was very, very sick from student teaching. Those little buggers gave me everything under the sun that semester ~ I had urinary tract infections, bronchitis, common colds, inner and outer ear infections...pretty much you name it ~ I had it. UNTIL ~ Jon's Gramma sent me some of the Vitalizer + IRON strips (like a beefed up multivitamin...just for women) and the last three weeks of school - I didn't get sick! I taught fourth grade all last year - in a new district with new germs & I was minimally sick throughout the whole year! Shaklee sells vitamins for young ones ~ babies through all grown up! I am currently taking Shaklee as my pre-natals ~ and they are said to blow regular pre-natals out of the water in their vitamin content!

Since we have been married, we have started using Shaklee's Get Clean Products: They sell everything you need to have a clean and healthy home from laundry detergent to all-purpose cleaning solution. The laundry detergent helps with my allergies and reduces my excema break-outs. I LOVE how well the products work & how much they help us save on our cleaning product bill ~ you could save over $3400 dollars!! Watch this video from Rachel Ray or this video from Oprah and check out more info from recent blog posts I have written: here and here!

This video helps you understand what Shaklee is, what they stand for as a company, how they work, how they test their products & the results the products have produced:

Jon and I believe Shaklee is very effective and really does help you become healthier. We do not want to pressure anyone into using Shaklee, but want to make it available to you to consider trying. If you try it & don't like it, you get your money back! Please contact us if you are interested!

For more information ~

Check out our website

Watch these videos about Shaklee's nutrition supplements:
~ About the Vitalizer: (Vitamins Strips for Men, Women and Those over 50)
~ About Shaklee Kids

~ About ShakleeBaby:

Contact Us! We would LOVE to talk with you!

Jon ~ warren.jon.r@gmail.com OR 817-894 5432
Megan ~ meganelizabethwarren@gmail.com OR 817-559-0360

Thank you for taking the time to read this and consider Shaklee products. Like we said previously, we do not want to pressure you into Shaklee, but we do hope it would be a good fit for you and your lifestyle. We have felt it has been a great fit for us and are hoping starting this home-based business will be a provision for our growing family!

Bringing Home Baby

2010-10-31T16:52:00.000-07:00

Josh's Birth Announcement

2010-10-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

We wanted to share our the news of the birth of our son, Joshua. We were overwhelmed with gratefulness to the Lord for a quick delivery & for both a healthy baby and mommy! We are loving being parents and wanted to share our little one with you! Love, Jon and Megan

Make your own greeting card

Joshua Reuben Arrives!

2010-10-07T10:22:00.000-07:00

Josh was born on September 28th at 1:08. He was 7 pounds, 3 oz and 20 inches long. We are loving being parents & can't believe he is already two weeks old!

Here is our last "preggo" Joshie picture ~

We arrived at the hospital at 5:30am to be induced. I started off 3 cm dilated & 80% effaced. After three tries at an IV ~ one was successfully put in & by 7am my pitocin drip had started. At 10:30, I was 5 cm dilated & in much need of my epidural :) The epidural helped (eliminated...really) the contraction pains & at noon, I felt like it was wearing off. I called for the nurse because I was feeling more pressure than I had before & did NOT want to feel the contractions again. My nurse was in a delivery, so another nurse came & decided to check me. My epidural was not wearing off...I was complete! The pressure I was feeling was his head...she could feel it when she checked me. By 12:30, the room was ready for delivery & I had already begun pushing. I pushed for about 40 minutes ~ and he arrived! We were both healthy & we are so grateful to the Lord for a quick & smooth delivery.

Most of our family was able to come up for the delivery or just after to see us in the hospital. It was a sweet time & we are grateful for the gracious help they have been to us in the days since. Joshie's Aunt Casey & Cousin Nattie even came up to surprise us! It was so fun to have them with us!

Josh's Nursery

2010-09-23T15:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a preview of our little one's nursery! It is finally completed!

Preggo Update: Week 38

2010-09-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

Week 38: The Baby Bump

Pregnancy Highlights for the Week

How Far Along: 38 Weeks

Dilated: I'm dilated to almost 3 cm.

Effaced: Not sure...she didn't say...but I'm guessing more than 50% effaced

Time Line: Most likely this week!

Contractions: Mild to moderate ranging from 7-12 min. apart

Lost Mucus Plug: Check!

Bloody Show: Check!

Just waiting on our Joshie boy to come!

Preggo Update: Week 37

2010-09-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

Week 37: The Baby Bump

Pregnancy Highlights for the Week

How Far Along: 37 Weeks

Dilated: I'm dilated to almost 2 cm.

Effaced: 50% effaced (with a VERY soft cervix) & lost my mucus plug!

Joshie's Countdown

2010-09-14T05:18:00.000-07:00

Somedays I wonder why the baby in that bubble to the right doesn't get any bigger ~ he's still all floating around...my Josh isn't doing that. My belly button is disappearing...my skin is getting tight & I am rather LARGE & PREGGO...and I can tell you he doesn't have that much room anymore!

Pregnancy Update: Week 36

2010-09-11T06:16:00.000-07:00

Week 36: The Baby Bump

Pregnancy Highlights for the Week:

How Far Along: 36 Weeks

Dilated: I'm dilated to 1 cm.

Effaced: 50% effaced & lost my mucus plug!

Size: He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long.

Baby changes: Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely he's in a head-down position (PRAISE THE LORD---He is!). But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying he'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

Best Moments this week: Thinking my water broke & taking our first trip to the hospital! Jon and I were pretty peaceful & ready in the midst of the surprise! However, my water had not broken & I was sent home!

Movement: His hiney moves from my left side to my right side & I can feel little feet pushing out on my belly.

Food Craving: None...been much less hungry lately.

What I miss: Painting my own toenails

Sleep: I've been sleeping much better & heading to bed earlier as I am getting up earlier to work long days. My sweet husband rubs my feet every night before we go to bed & that usually knocks me out!

What I am looking forward to: Our crib coming this weekend, my mom coming up to help out & Josh coming soon!

Symptoms: backache

Joshie Update!

2010-09-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

I'm now 35 & 1/2 weeks preggers ~ and I'm dilated 1 cm & starting to efface. I've started having contractions about every 30-40 minutes. My doctor does not think I will make it to my due date! She thinks I will probably hold out another 2-3 weeks ~ but told me to start watching for my water to break & for my contractions to pick up into full labor. I can't wait for our little man to come ~ so exciting!

Maternity Pictures

2010-08-31T15:30:00.000-07:00

Our brother-in-law, Jason Coobs, is a really talented photographer. He normally shoots weddings & engagement sessions...but we asked him to shoot some maternity pics for us while we were up visiting them. He graciously said yes! Here are just a few of my favorites!

PS: You should really check out his blog & see his other work! :)

So these last two are not necessarily maternity pics ~ but so fun of 'brothers being brothers' & sisters together. We cracked up that Jas & Jon posed exactly the same even though we did NOT prompt them or tell them what to do! So funny!

Pregnancy Highlights for the Week 35

2010-08-31T15:16:00.000-07:00

Week 35: The Baby Bump

Pregnancy Highlights for the Week:

How Far Along: 35 Weeks

Dilated: I'm dilated to 1 cm. Hoping to hold off another two weeks so we can make it "full term" ~ at 37 weeks.

Effaced: Nada.

Fruit/Veggie: HoneyDew Melon

Size: Josh is clocking in at five & 1/4 pounds and could be as tall as 20 inches by now.

Baby changes: His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Best Moments this week:
1) Josh moving down ~ so less indigestion!

Movement: Kicks & punches from little hands & feet ~ less ocean like as he continues to grow! Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same.

Food Craving: Healthy stuff...salad, apples, bananas...bring it on.

What I miss: Painting my own toenails, the freedom to pick up children,

Sleep: My doc is now letting me take Tylenol PM which is helping slightly. I'm now working full time which is helping as I am exhausted by bed time!

What I am looking forward to: Our crib coming in & getting Josh's room finalized!

Symptoms: back ache, indigestion, insomnia, uncontrollable belly movements!, swelling

Our Bumps!

2010-08-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

Last night at our childbirthing class Jon got to experience pregnancy by wearing an empathy belly which simulates pregnancy ~ urge to use the restroom, fetal movements, lung constriction, ect... He made a fantastic preggo man! He was able to deliver his "baby" after an hour & was very thankful the time had come :)...just 44 more days (hopefully!) till I get to deliver!

Pregnancy Highlights for Week 34

2010-08-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

Week 34: The Baby Bump

Pregnancy Highlights for the Week:

How Far Along: 34 Weeks

Fruit/Veggie: Cantaloupe

Size: Josh is clocking in at five pounds and could be as tall as 20 inches by now.

Baby changes: The vernix (the white coating protecting your baby’s skin) is getting thicker. This week, a boy's testicles start making their way down. In other baby-related developments, those tiny fingernails have probably reached the tips of his fingers by now — and getting ready for that first postpartum manicure.

Best Moments this week:
1) Beginning to be able to tell which parts are kicking, rolling & moving across my belly.
2) Seeing Jon wear the empathy belly!

Movement: Like the ocean...he moves alot!

Food Craving: Food? Right now food = indigestion...so we aren't great friends.

What I miss: Sleep, seeing my toes (or anything below my waist), being able to take a bath & not worry if I'm going to be able to get out on my own.

Sleep: Sleep? What is that?

What I am looking forward to: Our crib coming in & getting Josh's room finalized!

Symptoms: back ache, indigestion, insomnia, uncontrollable belly movements!, swelling

Funny Mom Video

2010-08-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

This is pretty funny mom video about the struggles most moms face in their day to day lives. Oh, what I have to look forward to as I embark on motherhood...Enjoy!

A Freebie!

2010-08-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

Today you can download this Digistal Scrapbook Artist for FREE from Amazon. Never used it before ~ but looks neat!

Check it out here:
http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Scrapbook-Artist-Download/dp/B00328HZRS/ref=sr_1_3?s=software&ie=UTF8&qid=1282414334&sr=1-3

Bigger Baby Belly!

2010-08-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

Here are my most recent pictures at 32 1/2 weeks!

Baby Shower in Tulsa

2010-08-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

My mentor, Susan, graciously hosted a shower for me here in Tulsa ~ It was such a blessing to be able to celebrate with new friends ~ as well as family that could make it in. My mom, my sister in law, Casey & neice, Nattie flew in Tuesday & spent some time with us ~ and helped finish decorating the nursery ~ finished pictures to come soon! My dad's sister, my Aunt Maryellen & two of her girls, Ali & Jana ~ as well as Jana's little one, Chevie, were all able to join us at the shower! It was a sweet time and special to hear from my mom (who gave a sweet devotional) as I embark on becoming a mommy too!

Week 32

2010-08-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

Josh is now officially 32 week gestated...if thats even a word? A little under 8 weeks to go to my due date! Yay!

We are thankful that ~

- My pregnancy has gone as smoothly as it has up until this point. No gestational diabetes or any other complications yet!

- For the blessing of another shower here in Tulsa to help meet our new Joshie needs.

- Auntie Jen & Uncle Jas were able to feel Josh moving & grovin this past weekend!

- Uncle Jas took some super maternity photos!

Josh's Update:

By now, baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in my uterus.

I'm gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Josh's skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth!

Mommy's update:

By now, I am getting quite large. Josh is riding pretty high ~ and likes to kick me in my ribs. He moves so much my belly looks like the ocean waves some days! I am getting more tired and more uncomfortable. I have started swelling pretty consistently ~ I think working & being on my feet more has alot to do with it. A week or two ago if you had asked me if I was ready, I would have told you no....but now I am getting closer to having that answer be a yes. The Lord is gracious to sustain me & allow me to continue to work & so for that we are grateful!

What else is new??:

Jon is going to get to try on an empathy belly this week at our parenting class! I'm quite excited about this! Jon will be able to feel fetal movement, have bladder pressure, and back pain! This video helps you see what all the empathy belly entails ~ the first part of the video is the best ~ I would just watch the first few minutes :)

Providencial Provision: A JOB!!

2010-07-30T21:36:00.000-07:00

At one point in time, we wondered whether making the move to Tulsa was 1) wise 2) financially feasible 3) in the Lord's will for us ~ at this time and for the past few months ~ the Lord has been confirming to us ~ all three of those things.

God has graced us with provision ~ both financially and spiritually. Over the past few weeks, the Lord has graciously provided to help us meet our monthly needs. From the start, the Lord provided us with a church that provided solid, biblical teaching and surrounded us by a church family that has been genuinely encouraging and welcoming.

One of the ways He is providing for us ~ is by providing me a job! I started yesterday working at KinderCare with them knowing ~ it is just temporary ~ for the next 9 weeks! No strings attached ~ no pressure to stay after Josh arrives! This is a HUGE blessing as I was having trouble finding anyone who wanted to hire a preggo woman who could only work for a few weeks!

We are overwhelmed by the Lord's kindness and goodness to us ~ and are grateful for how overwhelmingly clear it is that the Lord had a plan woven already for us to live here in Tulsa & that He will continue to provide for our needs. We are learning to find contentment and joy in Him alone through it all!

Week 30 :)

2010-07-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

Week 30 is here! 7 (really 6 & 1/2) more weeks till I'm considered full-term!

Josh is about 15.7 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in my uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means he can only make out objects a few inches from his face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

My Very First Blueberry Buckle :)

2010-07-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I used our fresh picked blueberries to make a buckle! I've never made a cobbler or compote (on my own) ~ so this was an adventure for me! I am in love with trying new things ~ Its has been so fun to try out new recipes & have the time to do so. It was quite yummy!

Alton Brown's Blueberry Buckle
Ingredients
For the cake:

* Nonstick cooking spray
* 9 ounces cake flour, approximately 2 cups
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
* 5 1/4 ounces sugar, approximately 3/4 cup
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 cup whole milk
* 15 ounces fresh whole blueberries, approximately 3 cups

For the topping:

* 3 1/2 ounces sugar, approximately 1/2 cup
* 1 1/2 ounces cake flour, approximately 1/3 cup
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (I used cinnamon ~ about 1/4 t.)
* 2 ounces unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

Directions

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and ground ginger. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 1 minute. Add the egg and beat until well incorporated, approximately 30 seconds. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until incorporated and then add 1/3 of the milk and beat until incorporated. Repeat, alternating flour and milk until everything has combined. Gently stir in the blueberries and pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

For the topping:

In a small bowl combine the sugar, flour and nutmeg. Add the butter and work into the dry ingredients using a fork to combine. Continue until the mixture has a crumb-like texture. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the cake. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35 minutes or until golden in color. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Week. Twenty. Nine.

2010-07-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

Third Trimester ~ well, hello! You snuck up on us! Seriously, has it really been six months since I took those 5 pregnancy tests??? Yes, 5... We wanted to be REALLY sure. So much has happened since then ~ Jon turned 24, I turned 23, Jon and I celebrated our very first anniversary!, Jon's job search continued to an end ~ interviewed & hired, I finished teaching my very first year AND survived even with TAKS testing, and we moved to Tulsa. Ummmm, maybe thats why I am wondering where the time went???

Josh is 11 weeks away from popping out of my lil' easy bake oven ~ today is 80 days! We really can't WAIT...okay maybe I can wait ~ I have to admit I'm not looking forward to labor ~ its called labor for a reason you know. Jon on the other hand ~ is very ready. Its so fun to watch him grow ~ as he continually grasps the idea more fully of becoming a daddy to our little one. He has been so gracious throughout the whole pregnancy ~ to take care of me through nausea, crazy cravings (making runs to the store or restaurants after long days at work!), absolute exhaustion (which meant staying home with me after being home all day), and many, many, many other things which have not gone unnoticed. He is a gracious gift to me ~ and I am so grateful I the Lord has allowed us to become parents together.

Here is an update on Josh:

Josh's SIZE: This week, Josh is the size of a butternut squash! He most likely now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel.

What I'm LOVIN': Josh has started moving consistently enough that at night (yes, mostly at night)~ when I snuggle up to Jon ~ Josh will kick him!

Joshie's DEVELOPMENT: His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. He can open his eyes and will turn his head towards a source of any light. His sensory organs are well developed. His fingernails and toenails are growing and he is beginning to regulate his own temperature. The bone marrow is completely in charge of production of the red blood cells now. He even urinates about a half liter of urine into the amniotic fluid every day.

Belly, Belly, Belly, Belly....Belly Everywhere!

2010-07-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated belly pictures in awhile ~ so here are a few!

May 27th ~ Last Belly Picture in College Station!

June 18th ~ First Belly Picture in Tulsa!

July 4th ~ Growing bigger all the time!

Nursery Work Day

2010-07-16T08:33:00.000-07:00

I was blessed to have my mom, Jon's mom and Jon's little sister, Meg, come to help deliver all our packages from our latest shower & set up Josh's new room! We had lots of fun & got lots accomplished! We painted part of the wall and side table red, organized the closet, set up our new glider, put a few things on the walls, ran errands, made returns and best of all ~ found antique dresser to use as a changing table!

Granna and Grammie worked hard to paint the wall brick red to match Josh's bedding!

Granna in her famous painting shirt!

Grammie hard at work!

Here we all are in front of Josh's bedding. We will be picking out a different crib, but are enjoying have one to visualize with for now!

There is still work to be done ~ but it looks so much more like a nursery than it did before! :)

27 Weeks ~ 13 to go!

2010-07-07T06:41:00.000-07:00

Josh's size:
This week, Josh weighs about 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended.

What Josh Is Up To:
He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now.

Josh's Positioning:
Josh is currently breech & has been since our 3rd sonogram in early May. We are praying he moves around to be head down in the next 13 weeks!

Mommy's update:
Eating is getting harder! I'm either not hungry or hungry & then can't eat a "normal" sized meal. My uncomfortableness has been better this week. We start seeing the doctor every two weeks now, and I have my glucose test next week.

Tomorrow, Josh will go on his first train ride as I ride the Heartland Flyer to Fort Worth for some time with friends & family & a baby shower!

Get Free Chick-Fil-A on Friday!

2010-07-07T06:27:00.000-07:00

Dress like a cow & get a free combo meal? Okay!

Visit your local Chick-fil-a on July 9, 2010 dressed like a chicken and you’ll receive a FREE Chick-fil-a meal. Chick-Fil-A even gives you a starter kit to make your own "printable" cow costume!

Designer Diapers.....REALLY???

2010-06-30T13:37:00.000-07:00

So, the question is if you buy these super cute designer diapers ~ does that mean you save in clothing? I mean if I'm gonna pay the big bucks for the cuty pants ~ then I'm not gonna cover 'em up! This is crazy ~ What is next??

Josh: Week 26

2010-06-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

Josh is now almost (tomorrow) 26 weeks old in belly weeks! We were privileged to see him again yesterday (for the fourth time!) ~ and he is getting so big! We saw all 10 fingers & all 10 toes, his growing brain, his stomach, bladder and beating heart!

Josh's size: He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. His official weight is 1 pound & 14 ounces.

How Josh is developing this week:
The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other (which he can ~ he is VERY responsive to Jon). He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. His testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

Josh's Mommy's Update:
I am starting to feel "more pregnant" ~ I've had several days lately where I haven't done much of anything ~ but I am absolutely exhausted. My fingers are swelling & I can no longer wear my wedding rings. I am more achey ~ my back hurts and stretching pains than I have had before ~ actually one day I was so uncomfortable ~ the only thing I could do to get comfortable was lay a pillow above the bump & one below the bump & lay on my belly. I'm sure it was a funny sight to see ~ but it really did help :) Overall, I am so grateful for a smooth & healthy pregnancy ~ these aches & pains are normal & I am thankful they are just arriving now!

How you can be praying for Josh:
- Josh's salvation: Pray that Josh would understand the gospel & the Lord would work in Him to bring Him to a saving knowledge of Himself.
- Josh's continued growth: Pray that Josh would bake the needed amount for his full development

Once Jon scans the sono pictures, I will post a few here for you to see.

Tulsa News

2010-06-29T07:42:00.001-07:00

So we now live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We've been here a month ~ and I have an Oklahoma driver's license ~ so it's official.

We are living in a homey little apartment (thankful for much of an upgrade from our last little place) & I am thoroughly enjoying staying home & getting settled. We are pretty settled ~ everything has a place ~ except for Josh's room! It is & will continue to be a work in progress until his arrival (100 or so days from now!).

We have started attending Grace Community Church of Tulsa & love it. It is biblically based with an expository teaching style and a passion for the gospel & the Lord. The community of the church has been so welcoming and gracious to us. We are getting plugged in serving & enjoying getting to know everyone. It is a very small church ~ which we are loving! It is very comfortable for us since we both grew up in a fairly small church.

For those of you who don't know, this is our little story about how the Lord orchestrated our move to Tulsa:
I was seeking a mentor (to be discipled by)in CS & really struggled to find one ~ that was an mature women who (did not have young children to disciple at home ~ as they should be her primary focus) ~ and met Susan Heck at a retreat planned by our parent's church. She was speaking on mentoring & long story short ~ started discipling me over email and phone calls (from Tulsa). In Decemeber, Jon got laid off & we started the job search for him. He looked from December to April for work in all fields ~ not just flying. The only ~ only job he got any response from was one in Tulsa, OK as a flight instructor. He inquired about the job on Friday ~ got a call on Saturday requesting an interview the following Saturday. He received a message on Monday that pretty much said ~ he had the job. They were so interested that they let him pick his start date ~ so the Lord was gracious to allow me to finish out my first year teaching & we packed up and moved to OK! We are so peaceful about being up here & thankful for the opportunity the Lord has given Jon to fly & build hours as a stepping stone in his career. So, Susan & I are now meeting face to face, and we are attending Grace Community (where her husband & son pastor). We are overwhelmed by the brothers & sisters in the Lord that he has provided already ~ as a support to us in our transition and as our own family grows. The Lord has been good and faithful to us.

I am currently looking for part-time or full-time work until Josh's arrival in October, and then looking for a nannying position (or work from home) after he comes ~ so I can take him with me or not have to be concerned about childcare costs.

We are continuing to trust Him to meet all our needs as we transition to life up here in Tulsa & he is teaching us so much about trusting Him and being content where we are. He has been teaching us that this life is not about being comfortable ~ but about being faithful to Him in the way we live and in what we have.

31% Off Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump, Free Shipping

2010-06-28T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hi Pregger Friends ~

This is a REALLY good deal on a breast pump I have heard lots of good reviews from. Thanks to BabyCheapskate!

31% Off Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump, Free Shipping

Rimmel Mascara Deal ~ only $0.24!

2010-06-25T07:18:00.000-07:00

$2/1 Rimmel Mascara coupon = $0.24 at Target

Print a $2/1 any Rimmel coupon from All You (click on “All You Exclusives” on the sidebar to locate it quickly).

Rimmel ExtraSuper Lash Mascara is priced at $2.24 at Target making it only $0.24 after this coupon!

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

Shaklee Nutrition Supplements

2010-06-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

Changing Brands can change your life!

Shaklee utilizes .S.M.A.R.T.™ Shaklee Micronutrient Advanced Release Technology™

A landmark study—the first ever on a rare population
of long-term dietary supplement users—showed that
people who took Shaklee supplements had markedly
better health than both multivitamin and
non-supplement users.

(charts are not to scale)
Proven Superior Vitality*

Shaklee supplement users retained normal levels of:

* Blood pressure*
* HDL cholesterol*
* Triglycerides*
* C-reactive protein*
* Homocysteine*

100% Shaklee Guarantee

Vitalizer is based on an unprecedented 12 Shaklee
clinical studies that show the difference. We believe
that the quality we’ve put into it is the reason you can
actually feel the quality of life you get out. That’s why
it’s 100% guaranteed!

Become a Shaklee Member FREE!

2010-06-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to become a Shaklee member? If you join Shaklee as a member ~ you can purchase all the products as a discounted rate ~ saves you LOTS of money in the long run!

What is Shaklee though? Good question!

This video helps you understand ~ what Shaklee is ~ what they stand for as a company ~ how they work ~ how they test their products & the results the products have produced.

If you are interested in our products ~ you can join FREE with your first purchase (of 50 Point Value)!

Join Free with 50 PV is available through June 30, 2010!

You can immediately save $19.95 when you Join Shaklee today and place an order containing 50 “point value”. This 50 PV is very easily attainable! Each product has a certain PV ~ and they add up quick~ just ask me how you can do this!

If you have been thinking about joining Shaklee, now is a great time to do it. You can start enjoying Shaklee products right away!

Should you have questions about this special offer, please contact me at meganelizabethwarren@gmail.com.

Get Clean WITH WHAT??

2010-06-18T07:12:00.000-07:00

Probably the easiest and most basic part of Shaklee is Basic H2 Concentrate. You buy a 16oz bottle for 10.35 ~ that will last you FOREVER...well a long time. That 16 ounces makes up to 48 gallons of super powerful cleaner when mixed with water. I've had mine over a year & its still basically fully. It makes up 3 different bottles of solution for use in your home!

Basic H2® Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate
Size: 16 oz.

This little 16 oz bottle creates an unbelievable 48 gallons of super-safe, really powerful, all purpose cleaner. We challenge you to use it up any time soon to clean everything from spilled milk, to bug guts on the window, to splattered spaghetti sauce. Now go, get cleaning.

For all-purpose cleaning:
Add 1/4 tsp. to 16 oz. of water.

For windows and mirrors:
Add 1-2 drops to 16 oz. of water.

For degreasing:
Add 1 1/2 tsp. to 16 oz. of water. For bigger jobs, add 2 oz. to 1 gallon of water.

Basic H2® is all you need for thousands of household jobs

* Ultraconcentrated – 16 ounces makes up to 48 gallons of super powerful cleaner when mixed with water.
* Versatile and powerful cleaner – removes dirt, grease, and grime from any washable surface, inside and out. Dilute according to directions.
* No rinse, no residue, streak-free formula.

Use on any washable surface – indoors or out

* Walls, Windows and Mirrors, Countertops, Floors, Appliances, Stoves, Sealed Woodwork, Pots and Pans, Furniture

Clean Credentials

* Nontoxic
* Natural
* Doubly concentrated
* Biodegradable Surfactants

CVS: 50 free photo prints

2010-06-18T06:38:00.000-07:00

If you sign up for a free account with the CVS Photo Center and you’ll get 50 free prints added to your account. You can upload and order these prints and then choose in-store pickup and you’ll get the 50 prints completely free.

Just click here to sign-up!

Yay for free pitcures ~ scrapbooking that has been waiting on me forever & a day ~ here I come!

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

Shaklee: Get Clean

2010-06-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

So you may be wondering ~ Get Clean? I am clean! I do clean! BUT.....

Did you know that 81,000 chemicals have been registered with the Environmental Protection Agency in the last 30 years – and fewer than 20% have been tested for toxicity? It’s true, and some of those chemicals can find their way into your home through the cleaning products you use.

It’s also true that 90% of all poison exposures occur at home. And over 200,000 reported poison exposures in 2005 were from household cleaning products...

In fact, 20 million Americans suffer from asthma and that includes one out of every 13 school-aged children. Asthma rates in children under age 5 have increased more than 160% from 1980 to 1994.

And here’s the real dirt…common household cleaners and appliances give off fumes that can potentially increase the risk of developmental damage in children.

Many of us are living in a TOXIC home - And I’ll bet some of those products are under your sink....like....Oven Cleaners, drain cleaners, wood and metal cleaners and polishes, toilet cleaners, tub, tile and shower cleaners and laundry bleach – do you know what all those cleaning products have in common? Well, they’re all designated as household hazardous waste, according to the EPA – who warns, “Improper disposal of these products can pollute the environment and pose a threat to human health.”

I hope by now it’s clear that one of the most important choices you make for your family’s health is deciding what you bring into your home. And it’s definitely time to get rid of those conventional household cleaning products under your sink.

Thankfully Shaklee offers an alternative to unhealthy, unsafe cleaning products. With Shaklee Get Clean™ you get outstanding, nontoxic cleaning choices that maintain the healthy environment you want for the people you care about.

WHY should you trust Shaklee??? Get Clean™ offers cleaning choices that are SAFE for you, your home, and your planet. But I know what you’re thinking…can a cleaner that’s based on ingredients from natural sources really work? Well the answer is a resounding “yes,” because at Shaklee we believe you shouldn’t have to sacrifice powerful convictions for powerful cleaners.

To back it up we offer a 100% money-back guarantee that Get Clean™ products will deliver a powerful clean in every room of your house.

In fact, we’ve conducted independent, 3rd party testing to ensure that, when it comes to cleaning power, our products rival or beat leading brands.

Get Clean™ provides powerful cleaners to clean your home inside and out, including all-purpose cleaners, and products specifically for your kitchen and laundry.

UP NEXT...some of my favorite Shaklee cleaners!

24 Weeks & Counting!

2010-06-15T08:12:00.000-07:00

Josh is now 24 weeks weeks BIG :) We are finishing up month 5!

Josh is growing steadily...gaining about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon. Josh's nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. Its not too hard to figure out when -- he's most active about 4 hours after I wake up ~ then mid afternoon & later evening. He's starting to move around when Jon talks to him ~ which is quite fun!

My CVS Trip

2010-06-12T11:39:00.000-07:00

I walk in armed with coupons ~ finding deals & I come out feeling like its Christmas... I love it!

I was a bit dissapointed because I didn't pick up a Sunday paper last week & so I missed out on some pretty good deals ~ yet I still bought all this for just $2 (after Extra CareBucks)!

Well, my sweet husband came home from work early ~ so fun! So, I am going to hang out with him!

~ Coupon World ~

2010-06-11T14:06:00.001-07:00

Well, coupon world ~ here I come. I am home ~ I am free ~ and I am GOING TO save money! I've been doing alot of research on how to coupon here in Tulsa, OK ~ and how to save money on groceries, shopping and baby things for when little Joshie comes. I'm learning how to be a frugal momma!

I have just recently discovered ALDI ~ which I think is my new favorite store. It has the cheapest version of everything ~ which means I no longer stand in the aisles trying to do math quickly in my head to find out which is the best buy. I literally used to sweat while standing in the store staring hopelessly at numbers and boxes when we were first married ~ while everyone else ~ either didn't care how much things cost or had super quick brain power & decision making skills and blew right past me in the aisles. At ALDI you can not use coupons...just have to get what they have ~ if you like the price/selection.

I have combined ALDI with E Mealz ~ a service that plans your grocery list for you & plans 5 meals a week for you ~ telling you how much each item you need is. This has cut our grocery bill in HALF. I am super excited about this :)

I've decided to do that & shop at CVS and others for all our extras or freebies ~ which is where the coupons come in. I'm headed to CVS tomorrow with a coupon for a free item (up to $3), and $10 off a $20 purchase, plus $4.99 in Extra Care Bucks....I can't wait to see the goodies I come out with :) I never knew how CVS worked until my friend, Jennifer, explained to me the amazing deals you can come out with ~ last time I went I didn't spend anything & we got men's & women's body wash & shampoo & conditioner ~ for FREE!

More to come ~ maybe tomorrow I'll tell you what I bought from CVS :)

2010-06-09T19:00:00.000-07:00

A refreshing reminder of when circumstances may not be what you want or even expect ~ put very succinctly by Matt Chandler:

"There is nothing ~ NOTHING ~ that is currently in your life that God has not in His infinite, all-knowing wisdom decided not to stop ~ and SO THEREFORE it is a part of the purposes of God for His glory and your eventual joy"

Swagbucks :)

2010-06-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

For those of you that have never heard of Swagbucks...listen in :) Might I say free money ~ easy money? Thanks to Money Saving Mom ~ Here's some info with my extra notes too!

If you’re new to Swagbucks, it’s an online search engine that rewards you for searching online. It’s very simple to sign up for. In fact, it takes all of about one minute. There are no fees, no credit card required and no phone number or address requested.

If you are going to try it out before reading the rest :) ~ click here: http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/mwcouponmom

Swagbucks is hosting a big Summer Swag event today and they are releasing five different free codes. Plus, every 7th winning search on Swagbucks will be awarded 25 points!

To get these free codes, make sure you are signed up with Swagbucks and then read the post here on how to follow along and snag the codes they are releasing. As I discover new codes, I’ll also be posting hints on where to find them on the Money Saving Mom Facebook Page.

After that, you are credited 30 points to your account. After that, you’ll be rewarded randomly 5-20 points for searches you do online. You can also earn points by downloading the toolbar. Plus, Swagbucks routinely gives away free points on their blog, Facebook and Twitter accounts.

With just a tiny bit of effort, you can pretty easily earn enough to get a $5 Amazon gift card (or a number of other prizes worth around $5) every 4-6 weeks.

Now, you might be thinking, “What’s the big deal if I only earn a $5 gift card every month?” Well, you’re right, $5 isn’t that exciting. It’s something, but that’s only the beginning. You see, your earnings will exponentially multiply when you refer others.

Do you know anyone else who searches online? I thought so. Well, tell them about Swagbucks, send them your referral link, and you’ll not only instantly earn more points when they sign up, you’ll also earn points for the searching they do online.

Tell lots of folks and you’re well on your way to funding your entire Christmas budget with free gift cards from Swagbucks. I’m not kidding you, that’s exactly what myself and many others I know have done. It really works!

For those of you who have blogs, you’ll especially want to jump on board with this. It’s free, it won’t take much of your time to do, and it could generate a nice stream of gift cards in your mailbox.

(And yes, if you click through the links in this post and sign up, I get a referral credit. If you don’t feel comfortable with that, you can sign up directly on Swagbucks.com.)

Here is my referral link: http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/mwcouponmom

Hope you try it out :)

A Name For Our Little Man :)

2010-05-25T15:21:00.001-07:00

We have decided to name our little blessing! His name will be Joshua Reuben. We are going to call him Josh. We can't wait for him to come ~ We were blessed with two sweet showers this weekend & received many new things for our sweet Joshie. He is going to be one baseball and aviation outfitted boy! We check in on him on Thursday with our last Texas doctor's appointment..and will update you after that...or maybe after we move this weekend...

Week 20: Baby Reveal ~ It's a BOY!!

2010-05-19T23:40:00.000-07:00

It's official ~ at 20 weeks ~ by the Lord's grace ~ We are halfway done with the pregnancy!

We are overwhelmed by the grace & mercy of the Lord to be forming and developing our little man & what a blessing it was to see him for a bit earlier this week. It was amazing to see his little heart with its little cross section dividing his heart into four tiny chambers, his tiny little brain, ribs, feet and fingers. We are amazed and reminded of just how great God is ~ as we saw his beautiful and intricate handiwork in our son. Jon is thrilled we are having a little boy that he can share his love of flying, baseball and all things boy with! I am excited for our family to start out with a boy ~ as I was raised by two older brother & that definitely shaped who I am today.

As we reflect back over the past year ~ it has been a whirlwind of God's sovereign purposes in our life & we are grateful for the time to learn and grow in Him. We know he sovereignly chose for us to be parents at this stage in our lives for His purposes, His glory and our joy. We are overwhelmed and excited to be deemed with the responsibility and task of parenting a little one in the ways of our sweet Lord ~ and know he will prepare and guide us all the way as we raise this little man he has so graciously given to us.

Newest News: Jon felt the baby kick! His mom, Grammie, sister, Jen, and my mom, Granna, were also able to feel him move!

How Big Am I?: About as big as a cantaloupe...although I weigh a whopping 13 oz!

My First Photo Shoot:

How I'm Growing This Week:
From Baby Center: He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

What Mommy's looking forward to this week: The first of our showers ~ this Saturday & Sunday!

How Mommy's feeling: Pretty good ~ feeling lots of little kicks and jabs :) Catching a cold & trying to ward it off with all that is coming for us ~ showers & moving!

Week 18:

2010-05-08T15:44:00.000-07:00

18 weeks and growing ~

Itty Bitty is the size of: a sweet potato

How Bitty's Growing: He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

Mommy's newest cravings: apples, olives, roasted veggies and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream

Sleep: I'm not constantly tired anymore, for which I am very grateful...but by the end of the day ~ end of my day ~ about 8pm...I'm ready to crawl in bed.

What the kiddos at school are saying: "Ms. Swarreen ~ can I touch your belly?"; "I felt it kick ~ I did!"

What I am looking forward to:

- Itty Bitty's gender reveal in just a week and a half! :) :)

- The last day of school ~ May 19th/June 4th

Bitty's movements: I am starting to feel more movement ~ but having trouble telling if its me stretching/growing or baby moving.

Week 17 Update from Baby Warren

2010-04-28T18:08:00.000-07:00

Hello! Mommy said I should write to update you about how I'm growing ~ cause she says I'm getting big! My skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and my umbilical cord — which really is my lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. I weigh in at about 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip...although mommy & daddy think thats a funny comparison..like the size of a good size onion), and I'm already around 5 inches long from head to hiney. I can move my joints...and have been starting to kick mommy so she can feel it! My sweat glands are also starting to develop. I get my picture taken in eleven days & then you'll know what I already know! Am I a boy or a girl? Time will tell & mommy I'm sure will let me write soon...she's seems pretty nice & all...since she's letting me live in her belly. I love you all! Baby Warren

Mommy's Update:
I'm growing too ~ feeling lots of round ligament pain. It seems every day I try to wear some of my pre-pregnancy clothes just to squeak out my wardrobe a bit longer & find out less & less is fitting! I'm hungry all the time ~ about every two hours...which is a huge change..and Mexican food is back! :) I've felt baby twice now ~ a tiny flicking. I can't wait to find out our sweet baby's gender & be able to give itty bitty a name!

Growth of the Bump :)

2010-04-27T15:47:00.000-07:00

March 7th ~

April 11th ~

April 27th ~

Hymn Stories: It is Well with My Soul

2010-04-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

I heard this today & was blown away by the story of the man who wrote this hymn.

Tulsa ~ Here We Come!

2010-04-19T16:54:00.000-07:00

Lots has happened in our little Warren lives since I last posted! We are grateful to the Lord for his provision of a job for Jon flight instructing in Tulsa! We went up to Tulsa this last weekend & found a cute little apartment with room for baby & are moving in just 5 weeks! CRAZY!

We went & got some boxes from our local toystore & my previous employer ~ Thankful for a FREE supply of boxes! We are so busy between now & then ~ we are going to try to pack up a box a night or so ~ until we are all packed up!

Baby continues to grow ~ as does my slightly expanding belly. It doesn't look too big yet ~ but feels like I have a blimp belly. This week we get the joy of checking in on baby :) Love my doctor appointment days ~ especially when I get to see our baby & not take care of 40 that aren't mine!

We are at 16 weeks this week ~ baby is the size of an avacado or about the size of your palm (I'm guessing a woman's palm)

My meshed version of the Bump & Baby Center (Ba-Bump) says:
Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop. Watch what you say... tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean the little one can now pick up your voice. Eyebrows, lashes and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming

Week 13: Baby Update

2010-04-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

From Baby Center:

Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, his/her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with his/her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

From the Bump:

Your fetus is forming teeth and vocal cords... savor this, their non-functional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with a head now only one third the size of the body. Intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby's tummy. (Much more convenient.) Baby is now the size of a peach.

In Sickness & In Health ~

2010-04-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

One year ago this week, Jon & I said our vows ~ in sickness & in health ~ & committed to love each other through it all. Then, we headed off to Cancun & celebrated in bliss for a week.

This week, we has not been as much bliss ~ but we have been able to practice (in addition to how we have over the past year) the in sickness part. Its been a long, rough week.

Thursday, I felt kinda funny & ended up throwing up several times on the way to work.

Saturday, I felt crummy all day & did nothing but rest.

Sunday, I started having back pain which became stabbing chest pain. I started having trouble breathing, and we went to the urgent care facility. The doctor diagnosed me with costochondritis. Its not really related to pregnancy & they don't know why I have it. From MayoClinic.com, “Costochondritis is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone (sternum). It causes sharp pain in the costosternal joint — where your ribs and breastbone are joined by rubbery cartilage. Pain caused by costochondritis may mimic that of a heart attack or other heart conditions.” Pretty much, there is nothing they can do to reduce the inflammation aside from Tylenol to help with the pain.

Monday, Jon went to Dallas for a job fair & my mom came in to help me with my classroom. It was such a blessing to have mom in ~ especially with me not feeling well.

Tuesday, I lost my voice during my afternoon class ~ completely out of the blue. By the evening, I was pretty sure I was getting sick ~ not just allergies. Wednesday, I worked & taught strategically to save my voice as much as possible. Wednesday night, I woke up at 1am coughing ~ and was up most of the rest of the night.

Turns out I'm working up to bronchitis :) I've seen two doctors today (heard baby's heartbeat ~ strong little one ~ sounds like a choo-choo train) & have the meds safe for baby & good to make me better.

Jon has been a wonderful husband and help ~ he has definitely had a chance to chance to live out the for sickness part of our vows. I am very thankful for him & how he makes me rest. I am thankful to have the rest of the weekend off :)

On a job note:

Jon starts at Chicken E tomorrow morning & has his interview with the flight school in Tulsa on Saturday. We are excited to see what the Lord is working in all these things!

Now...to rest.

....And The Winner Is....

2010-03-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

We promised once we found out we were pregnant we would dig out our wedding guestbook pages & tell you who came the closest to the truth about when our first baby would be born.

We have reviewed the ballots...

The runners up were:

2) Sally Martin - Aug 2010

1) Bryan Bozeman - Fall 2010

& WINNER ~ George & Becky Gilmore with October 1, 2010!

Mommy-to-be & Baby Update!

2010-03-09T08:19:00.000-08:00

Baby Warren ~ Week Ten

Baby is now a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, he or she has now completed the most critical portion of his development. (Yay!!) This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

Baby is swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout the pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside my womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

In other developments: Baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.

Many people have been asking how my diet has changed & what baby likes ~ so here's an update!

Mommy's New Favorite Foods:

- Baby vine ripened tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots with a little bit of fat free salad dressing

- Monster cookies :)

- Raisins

- Strawberries

- Chick-fil-a

- Scrambled Eggs (Maybe not a fav ~ a necessity)

Recent Food Aversions & NoNo's for Nausea ~

- Peanut Butter Sandwiches

- Chicken or meat on its own (not mixed in like a casserole)

- Candy or anything with sugar as its main ingredient (other than M&M's in small quantities)

- Boca Burgers

- Salsa

- String Cheese Mozzarella Sticks

Oh, Baby!: Yep, We're Gonna Have a Baby!

2010-03-04T19:18:00.000-08:00

The Lord surprised us with a little one growing in my belly! About six weeks ago, I was feeling a little on the funny side, so I asked Jon if I could take a pregnancy test just to calm my mind (I thought I was making up symptoms & he thought there was no way I could be pregnant!)~ and SURPRISE ~ two tests with faint lines & three more positive pregnancy tests later ~ we realized it was true! We were overwhelmed, excited and very surprised!

We saw our tiny baby for the first time last week at almost 8 weeks. Baby was 1.5 cm long with a strong & fast heart beat! Here is a little preview of baby's first picture!

So, our little blessing is now nine weeks ~ and growing fast ~ as big as a grape! I am due on October 7th! We will keep you updated as Lil' Baby Warren continues to grow!

Shaklee: Product of the Week :)

2010-02-21T17:43:00.001-08:00

We thought it might be fun to pick a product to feature for the week. This week is our Get Clean Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate. It can be used for almost all household cleaning jobs. We mixed ours up & gave it a trial run a few weeks ago. You use just a drop or two & mix it with water ~ to create a degreaser, window cleaner and all-purpose cleaner. We love it ~ We love knowing its healthy ~ no toxins, no smells, and it gets your home just as clean as the regular household cleaners for much less of the cost that we would pay out for Windex, 409, Lysol bathroom cleansers and more!

You can watch the video below where Oprah explains how easy it is to mix it up & use it ~ as well as some health benefits too!

Because of Shaklee's Basic-H formula, we now have organic cleansers for furniture, windows, mirrors, floors, and basically anything else in the home I might want to clean! The best part is that a 16 oz. bottle of the concentrated cleaner that creates 48 gallons of organic, non-toxic cleansers can be yours for only $12.15! (If you become a member - its only $10) You do the math. Shaklee's Basic-H is an affordable way to provide those we love with a home that is more organic and chemical-free, for a mere $0.25 a gallon!

Shaklee: Try It ~ You'll Like It :)

2010-02-16T15:39:00.000-08:00

Jon & I have just started a new business selling Shaklee products. Shaklee is the #1 natural nutrition company in the US. We are excited to help you become healthier and happier as you discover Shaklee...just like we did.

We have been taking Shaklee supplements as a couple for about a year & Jon has been taking them all his life :) ~ and we love them! I went from sick ~ sick with everything under the sun during student teaching to completely healthy for my last month of teaching. I've also been teaching fourth grade since the beginning of the school year & haven't been out sick with the flu or any sickness yet.

We sell all different kinds of products: nutritional supplements, cleaning products, beauty products to help you have a healthy home, healthy weight, and healthier you!

Check out our website & contact us if you have any questions!

Rachel Ray even likes it:

They also make products for children:

And for babies:

An Update on Us....

2010-02-12T18:15:00.000-08:00

Well, There has been a lot going on around the Warren household lately. I've been slacking on my blogging because of all of it.

We had a wonderful Christmas break & enjoyed the blessing of spending some quality time together. What a blessing ~ since we literally hadn't spend a non-sick day together in over 22 weeks.

We were informed right before Christmas break that Jon was going to be laid off from his job at Brazos Valley Flight, so we are currently job seeking for him. We know that the Lord is in the midst of this ~ and know he will provide for us! We are thankful we trust in a sovereign and wise God who knows exactly what we need to to be becoming more like him & to give Him the most honor & glory in the midst.

I went back to work in early January & have enjoyed much more jumping back into teaching knowing what to expect and what not to expect ~ and by the grace of the Lord having a better attitude toward it. I have also had two more challenging students move away, which in some ways has been a blessing as well.

We are grateful for what the Lord has provided for us ~ which is lots ~ not just physically but all that we need spiritually too. We are also grateful for a long Valentine's Weekend ~ Thank you President's Day!

Teaching Stories

2009-12-12T08:08:00.000-08:00

After seventeen weeks teaching, I have some really good stories! Almost everyday I come home with at least one hilarious thing one of my forty students has said or done. Here are some of my favorites:

- We've been having lots of trouble with the bathroom. I had a student need to go to the bathroom, and asked me if he could. I told him, "You need to wait until the girl gets back from the restroom then you can go. He replied, " But, I'm a boy!!"

- One of my students asked me why Jon & I didn't have children yet. She told me she didn't understand why we were married & didn't have any babies. She pleaded with me to have a baby. Two days later, I was standing at the door telling them goodbye. She gave me a big hug & said "Bye, Mrs. Warren!". Then, I see her little hand reach out and touch my belly, she said " Bye Baby".

- I caught one of my students sucking their thumb, and called her name then gave her a signal to get it out of her mouth. She raised her hand, and I called on her. She said, "Mrs. Warren, the I suck my thumb cuz when I was little all I had to do was suck my thumb and rub my belly button. It make everything better, and it still do."

- One afternoon, my phone rang & I just let it ring while I was teaching. One of my students stood up out of his seat & said, "I get it. (pretending to answer my phone) 'Hellur, This Ms. Warren'"

- One of my students explaining why he & his brother fight, "Well, you see, I have alot of violence in me"

Nine Billion...

2009-12-05T11:28:00.001-08:00

That is a huge number. It doesn't take much to help. Watch & see what you can do....

First Year of Teaching

2009-12-05T07:20:00.000-08:00

I went to a meeting recently where I was told essentially ~ You should be feeling pretty bad about this time of year about your job ~ Its a really hard job. Its even harder when you have no support.

She showed us this graph. Almost all of the first year teachers were in the disillusionment stage. One of my collegues leaned over to me in the meeting & said "I don't know if we'll ever come back up." Somedays, I wonder that too. Teaching has been the most draining, exhausting, challenging, frustrating, and emotional thing I think I have ever invested my time in.

I hope that in March I will be "rejuvenated" ~ time will tell. Needless to say, I kinda wish I'd seen this chart before school started :)

Aunt Meggy Teaching Nattie to Play the Piano

2009-12-03T18:27:00.000-08:00

We were blessed to be able to drive home to get away from work & College Station for a bit this Thanksgiving. We were really excited to see our niece, Nattie, who we hadn't seen in months. Pictures only last for so long :)

(Speaking of pictures ~ one of my students saw a picture of her before the holidays and yelled out to the whole class, "Ooooh! She like a princess in her own world!".)

Over the holiday, I taught Nattie how to play the piano! She's got some natural talent :) What she doesn't have now ~ I'm sure her Daddy will teach her.

She was thrilled to realize that it made noise! I know Granna & Grandaddy are just going to love that I shared that knowledge so soon in life!

Christmas Decorating :)

2009-11-29T11:45:00.001-08:00

We enjoyed decorating for our very first Christmas last night! It was very fun to put together a tiny tree (that my parents were sweet enough to let us borrow ~ thanks Mom & Dad!) We decorated it with our ornaments ~ it is very full! We have 12 planes zooming around & many snowflakes!

Jon pulling out the tree :) We fluffed her into treelikeness & plugged her in!

Decorations going on!

We are enjoying our Aunt & Uncle ornaments!

We sealed her with a kiss! Now to wrap presents to go below her!

A Day with our Nattie Girl :)

2009-11-28T14:24:00.000-08:00

We've been missing our little niece, Natalie & we were very thankful for an opportunity to take care of her on Black Friday. Here are a few pictures of our growing little girl! We love her lots!

PURGING....feels good :)

2009-11-28T11:51:00.000-08:00

I decided to take the day to go through our closets & get rid of things we do NOT need anymore. Its amazing what all can fit into two tiny little closets! I did not go through everything, but I found a lot to purge!

We are saying goodbye to shrunk up sweaters, shirts and other clothes ~ maybe someone else can use them! Off to the mission they go!

Still more needs to be done, but I had a good start today. Now know where I've stashed and gathered all Christmas gifts are & can start wrapping :)

Good Shop Discovery

2009-11-25T13:46:00.001-08:00

I was reading a friend's blog the other day & came along her post about Good Shop. Its pretty cool & free for you to support ministry while you shop! Here is part of her post:

So...I wanted you to know of a great way you can help no matter where you shop this holiday season.

More than 1,300 top stores, including Amazon, Toys R Us, Best Buy, Apple, Gap and more, will donate a percentage of virtually every sale to Children At Heart Ministries (or your can search for any other ministries).

Just go to GoodShop.com.

Designate Children At Heart (or another ministry) as the cause you support and then click through to your favorite store.

You pay nothing extra.

You can even save money since GoodShop lists thousands of money-saving coupons and free shipping offers.

I'm pretty sure this is the easiest way to support an incredible ministry this holiday season!

Please go check it out! If you're going to shop online, might as well help a wonderful ministry that helps children in need.

Or look through the list of the nonprofits and see if your favorite cause is listed. How fun!

I didn't think online shopping could get any better than it already is.

I was wrong!

Encouraging Words of Truth

2009-11-11T18:31:00.000-08:00

"Be content with such things as you have, since the Lord has ordered all things for your good. Take up your own daily cross; it is the burden best suited for your shoulder, and will prove most effective to make you perfect in every good word and work to the glory of God." ~ from Charles Spurgeon's Morning & Evening

A Crumbling Culture...In Need of Him

2009-11-11T16:30:00.001-08:00

So far this week ~ I have broken up two fights ~ seen three more, disciplined more children than I can count on my fingers and toes, been in contact with a raging parent ~ had a note from one more, been threatened to be punched by a student, picked up several extremely inappropriate notes, seen a student flip teachers off, then run away and beat on school property, and watched a child wail all the way down the hall all the way onto the buses. I have also daily had students try to reason with and coax me to believe that it's okay to hit someone back when they hit you & to say ugly things back when they say ugly things to you.

A colleague of mine exclaimed to me today, "I've been tellin' em for years now ~ they need to get some ministers, priests, n' pastors in this place. I donna care if they are Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, Methodist...they need to get some of that holy water or anointing oil in here to sprinkle on these children, in these halls, in these classrooms. Then, they need to get a big ole' plane and dump some all on the school and all over the whole city. I'm a tellin' you ~ they've gotta do something!"

I don't really think holy water is what our school or community needs ~ they something much more effective and live changing. They need the reality of the gospel & they need it to change the way they live. They need to begin disciplining their children consistently ~ to "Train up a child in the way he should go, so that when he is old he will not depart from it" Proverbs 22:6.

My exposure to the reality of sin, generational sin and consequences of sin in the past fourteen weeks has been massive ~ but it is just a small glimpse into our crumbling culture desperately in need of a Savior. I am daily reminded of my sin nature & grateful to the Lord for the truth of the gospel, for its life altering ~ sin exposing and removing effects.

More of Rita...

2009-10-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

So, I have told many of you this story already...It absolutely cracks me up. Its where I live daily with work. She is so funny... ~ this is just part of the story...if you want to know how it ends ~ call me I'll tell you the rest :)

Some background: These two boys were fighting at school. They got sent to Rita ~ the administrator. They got all puffed up & said "Weeeellll ~ Everybody was fightin' "( Cause you know if you said everybody was fightin' ~ you're not the only one in trouble) and they had their shoulders all puffed up....

A Teacher Hat ;)

2009-10-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

We decided to go to the local Halloween outfitters after our date to see if we could find a teacher hat for me. I desperately needed a visual for my kiddos to know that when I am working with small groups, I am busy and cannot be interrupted. This hat has magical powers that make me invisible to everyone but the students at my round table. Since its so amazing, we thought we'd give you a sneak peak. :)

Rita's Stories

2009-10-15T19:18:00.000-07:00

Gedunks!

2009-09-30T17:11:00.001-07:00

A few of our friends requested this family recipe from us ~ so I thought I would post it :) They are not at all healthy! Enjoy!

Gedunks
1 (14 oz) bag carmels (I've looked for fat free with no luck ~ let me know if you find them!)
2/3 C. evaporated milk ( I use fat free)
1 (18.5) package German chocolate cake mix
3/4 C. butter
1 C. chopped nuts (optional ~ we leave them out!)
1 (6 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Combine carmels and 1/2 C. milk in top of double boiler. Cook stirring constantly until completely melted. Remove double boiler from heat; combine cake mix and remaining 1/3 C evaporated milk and butter, mixing with electric mixer until dough holds together; stir in nuts (if desired). Press cake into greased 13 by 9 by 2 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes.

Sprinkle chocolate morsels over crust. Pour caramel mix over chocolate morsels. Crumble remaining cake mix over top. Bake 15 to 18 minutes. Cool. Chill 30 minutes. Yield: 5 dozen.

Classroom Pictures

2009-09-19T13:08:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures. I have rearranged things since school started, so I will take pictures Monday & upload them then :)

The curtains that the Mommas made. :)

The loft that Tim made :)

The front of the classroomish (that really no one made) :)

Check back for better and more recent pictures soon!

Classroom Here She Comes!

2009-08-13T15:43:00.001-07:00

Since word came I had a teaching position, our life has consisted of classroom decorations, cutting out laminating & much more! It has been a busy, busy few weeks!

If you didn't know ~ I got hired in late June to teach 4th grade Language Arts & Social Studies in Hearne which is a small community just outside of Bryan/College Station.

My room has been transformed from a blank space with furniture stacked up in one corner ~ to Mrs. Warren's 4th grade Language Arts & Social Studies Classroom!

It is finished! Yay! With lots of love and hardwork from Jon, both our sweet Mommas (Momma Bozeman & Momma Warren), my brother and sister-in-law, Tim & Casey, and my Daddy ~ It is finally finished! We had many many workdays ~ Moms made pillows and curtains, Tim, a wonderful craftsman & my engineer brother, created and built my loft, Mom & Dad cleaned my classrrom, as well as, moved, stained & polyurethaned the loft & Jon cut out more than his fair share of laminating! It has really been a family effort ~ of which I am so incredibly grateful!! Thank you all for your help! I could not have pulled it all together without you!

I will post pictures soon!

Now for the planning ~ I get kids next week! Yay!

Fredricksburg

2009-08-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

Donkeys, horses, baby goats...no usually words you would associate with Megan & vacation. However, this next tale includes them all ~ as we escaped for a few days this past week to Fredricksburg!

We decided when I found out that I going to have a teaching position this fall (for which we are exceedingly thankful to the Lord!) ~ we would try to get away together before the school year started. So, we did ~ It was incredibly fun and relaxing!

Here are some pictures of our time there!

Fourth with Friends!

2009-07-05T11:35:00.001-07:00

We enjoyed our Fourth of July! We stayed here in College Station & spent some time with our friends ~ Laura & Jon, and then later in the day, our friends ~ Audra & Adam. We didn't remember to pull out our camera when we were with Laura & Jon ~ but hopefully we will remember next time!

Audra & I

Audra & Adam

We enjoyed fireworks up at the George Bush Library & Museum. They had historical characters all dressed up and mingling with the crowd. We met Uncle Sam, Martha Washington, and Darth Vader. I'm really not sure why Darth Vader was there, but the boys were very excited they were!

Audra made a her very first homemade cake! She made it very yummy and cute! It was decorated for the Fourth with stars & stripes!

A Blue Bell Kinda Fun

2009-07-03T06:44:00.000-07:00

On our beautiful Tuesday afternoon, We took a quick roadtrip down to Brenham to visit the Blue Bell Factory. We have been wanting to go for quite some time, and decided before life picks up & gets really busy this fall we should have some fun!

We walked around, touched the statues, took the tour & ate samples! The tour was very fun to see the behind the scenes information ~ We kinda felt like we were on How It's Made. (It's one of our favorite shows!) Although, we really wanted more info from the tour! We had questions which were thankfully subdued by cookies 'n cream & southern blackberry cobbler ice cream!

We enjoyed our day off! It's such a blessing to have time to share and enjoy together!

Fun Family Times...

2009-06-18T16:15:00.000-07:00

We went home...again!!...which makes twice in one week! We were thankful to spend some time with Jen & Jason (Jon's sister & her her new hubby) who live in Kentucky. We had some sweet family time with Jon's parents, grandparents & siblings. We also celebrated Mike's 16th Birthday early ~ It's actually today! Happy Birthday, Mike! Hope you had a great day ~ We love you!

We love hanging out with all our siblings! We always have fun!

After we left there, we headed up to see Tim, Casey & Nattie! We loved our Nattie time! She was very sleepy all afternoon! Casey was excited that Aunt Meggy changed lots of diapers for her while Uncle Jon supervised! We laughed at this picture cause she just fell asleep, but looks like she is rock climbing up me!

Jon & I are now getting settled back into life in College Station full of work, job searching, and hopefully rest!

More Natalie :)

2009-06-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

Our niece is enjoying her new home! Pretty baby girl! We are excited to see her again tomorrow!

Arrival of our Niece!!!

2009-06-12T17:41:00.000-07:00

We are officially an Aunt Meggy & Uncle Jon! She has come!

Our beautiful niece, Natalie, arrived on Wednesday, June 10th at 1:29pm. She was 8lbs, 1 oz & 19 3/4 inches long! We already love her lots!

We found out Monday that Casey was going to be induced Wednesday morning at 5:30. We got to the hospital a little before 8, and Casey had just begun having painful contractions. She had her epidural and before 10:30am was dilated to 8cm. Then, we played the waiting game till she arrived at 1:29pm. We actually played the waiting game until Tim came out 45 minutes after that to tell us both his girls were doing well! Then about 30 minutes after that we got to see & all hold our precious niece!

We all had t-shirts labeling our relationship to Natalie ~ It was so fun! All the nurses & staff at the hospital kept asking where their personalized shirts were! At one point ~ some of us had already arrived at the hospital & the others arrived asking the man at the information desk how to get to the right room ~ He told them go up the elevator to the second floor & look for people with shirts just like theirs! Nattie even had her own onesie!

Jon & I were so thankful to be able to make it in to meet her!

Isn't she just beautiful?!? Have no doubt ~ there will be more pictures to come!

Washer Stories

2009-06-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

We bought a washer & dryer in our first weeks of getting married, which has been such a blessing! I am very thankful for our own ~ so I can wash clothes at any time of day!

Our washer works great, until it gets off balance ~ then you have to sit on it! I spend a few days a month sitting on our washer until it gets through the spin cycle! Oh, the joys of being early married ~ it's so fun! Here's a small glimpse of our world!

.

Jet pilot for a day

2009-05-25T16:13:00.000-07:00

Well, last week I got to play Jet Jockey for a day. Slightly different from the world of the Cessna 172.....just slightly. Okay, so it was in every way different and rediculously awesome. Way more exhilarating than the Skyhawk, which only gets that way when a student who doesn't know any better is trying their best to kill you. Anyways, I got an offer from a corporate pilot based at Love Field in Dallas, KDAL for you aviation buffs, to fly as his co-pilot in an Israeli Aircraft Industries 1124A, better known as a Westwind. And here's where I made my first mistake, I was so excited about the trip, that I didn't even take a picture of the exterior of the plane. Hopefully the ones I took will suffice.
Our trip was going to take us from KDAL to Colorado Springs (KCOS) to Palm Spring, CA (KTRM). Before leaving Dallas, we loaded up with 730 gallons of Jet-A (glorified diesel) and our one passenger. My duties for the flight consisted of running the radio communications and checklists, and whatever else the real pilot felt brave enough to let me do. 30 seconds into the flight my mind had already exploded, because we didn't even take off until we were going faster than a C172 can do in a dive. Well, close to it. Rotate speed was between 125-132 knots. Climbout was faster. I don't remember because I was focused on the Altimeter spooling up at the rate of 2500-3000 feet per minute, and we were accelerating.
For the leg from KDAL to KCOS, we finally leveled at FL360 or 36,000 ft above sea level. We kept accelerating until we reached Mach .77, or.....heck, I don't know, a lot faster than I'd ever flown a plane before. Once we reached our cruise altitude, KCOS was about 1hr 10min away. Fortunately we didn't have much headwind, even though we were heading West, so our groundspeed (gs) was almost identical to our true airspeed (tas), and that was anywhere between 440-455 knots. Heading into KCOS we flew over a line of thunderstorms, then started our descent into the airport once passing those guys up. We loaded an ILS approach to the airport into our GPS, but were able to take it in visually instead.
The approach speed for the Westwind is typically around 125 knots, or twice that of the C172. And when your plane weighs in at 18,000 lbs, you've got a lot of F = ma going on. Needless to say, once all the wheels are on the ground, everything comes out, spoilers, speed brakes, reverse thrust, parachute, oh wait....nevermind the last one.
We made a quick turn in KCOS, picked up 4 more passengers and some more gas and were on our way again. It was a little bumpy heading out of Colorado due to a few cloud buildups, but once we got up higher it smoothed out pretty good.
For the leg to KTRM, our final cruising altitude was FL380. The bad thing was that for most of that leg we were still in and out of clouds, so not many good photo ops. We did pick up a slight bit of ice on the wing, which melted once we were out of the clouds and descended a bit. We did a little more storm-dodging on the way there. Once we were clear, Air Traffic Control (ATC) cleared us direct to a VOR near Palm Springs. When it came up on the GPS, the distance showed just over 500 nautical miles. For some reason, my brain was still in Skyhawk mode and I thought,"this'll take a little while." That thought was blown to pieces when Justin announced that it'd be a little over an hour away. I'm glad I was sitting down when I heard that.
ATC kept us up above FL300 for so long that our descent into KTRM mimicked the space shuttle coming in to land. Once we cleared the mountains East of the airport we had to drop it in. We'd stayed up high for so long that when we were on downwind from the runway (downwind's when you fly parallel to the runway opposite the direction you're landing) we were still around 4,500ft. And the airport elevation was -114ft. But that's not as big of deal in a jet, cause you can just pull the power back and drop like a somewhat aerodynamic brick.
The landing went off without a hitch, and, minus a rental car debacle, everything else went smooth. When we locked up the plane, I don't know if it was tears or sweat running down my face (it was over 100 degrees). But whatever it was, it was salty. I don't think anyone saw me.
We finished up the night with an excellent steak dinner, courtesy of Justin's company. All around it was the sweetest flying I've ever been able to do, and I'm thankful for the opportunity. And it definitely whetted my appetite for more.....flying that is, not steak, well, I guess both.

Wedding Photos...are HERE!!

2009-05-22T16:17:00.001-07:00

Woohoo! Our wedding photos have arrived!! We admit, its crazy to look & them ~ and realize its all over! Its really hard to believe ~ but we love, love the results. Marriage is great!

Bridal Portaits

2009-05-20T14:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of my bridal portraits. They were taken in early March at the Chandor Gardens in Weatherford. I'll have wedding pictures up soon too!

Chelsea Time!

2009-05-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

It was so fun to have Chelsea, my childhood best friend, in town! She came for a visit ~ and stayed with Jon & I as our second visitor! We loved it!

Through the Lens of Mikayla

2009-05-13T15:28:00.000-07:00

We went out with Mikayla! You should have seen the all the people & the double glances we received from people who thought she was ours! It was so fun ~ She enjoyed taking some pictures after we got back to our place from a fun stop at Chick-Fil-A. She is mastering the finger over the lens technique...one we think our brother-in-law, Jason (photographer extradorinare ~ check out his pictures & blog!), should try out! Its also a sneak peak into our home ~ we'll have up pictures soon!

Wedding Photos

2009-05-09T13:53:00.001-07:00

Our wedding photos are up! Check them out at our photographer, Lora Ralston's website.

You have to click on online proofs ~ When it loads, we are down towards the bottom ~ I'll have some posted soon!

HardChord Dynamix

2009-05-09T13:28:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed the concert we went to on Friday... It's an a capella group, HardChord Dynamix that formed out as a student run group of the Choral Activities Office at A&M ~ that Women's Chorus (which I used to be involved in) was based out of ~ thought we'd share!

Happy Together:

Because:

Jon Making Cookies

2009-05-08T13:41:00.000-07:00

Jon was very sweet to break out our new KitchenAid Mixer & mix up some of his famous chocolate chip cookies a few weeks ago! Thank you to Grandma & Grandpa for our wonderful KitchenAid ~ We love it!

Going Green!

2009-04-30T16:01:00.000-07:00

We've done it...we've gone green.

Although, not in the way you might think :)

We've been painting! GREEN! We decided to repaint Jon's childhood bookshelf & my childhood bulletin board green this past week. Its still white with primer in the picture ~ so we'll have to update & let you see the finished product later!

We also headed out for an Aggie Baseball game verses TCU...It was fun! We won!

Blessed Local Music

2009-04-25T05:28:00.000-07:00

This sweet town we live in ~ College Station ~ is the hub of many gifted artists whose desire is to glorify God with the music they write, sing & play.

One of those is Jimmy Needham. How God has blessed this man to sing & write music that displays the Gospel clearly & rightly. Jon & I love, love, love his music! He sings the Word...passionately. I'm not sure I can say much else about him that is better than that!

I couldn't find any quality videos or tracks to add to this post ~ However, you can check out his music here. We are headed to one of his concerts on Friday ~ if you are around you should join us!

The Fun of Senior Song!

2009-04-17T22:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight, Jon & I attended the Texas A&M Women's Chorus spring concert. It was my second time to actually see the concert from the audience's perspective ~ It's still kinda weird to realize my college days are over!

We very much enjoyed the Class of 2009 Senior Song this year ~ which if I had not had class conflict & graduated early (there were a lot of things working against me for this) would have been mine too! It was fun to see all my friends perform!

They sang a song to the tune of Bohemian Rapsody by Queen ~ Enjoy the video!

Here are a few pictures from after the concert as well...

My sweet WC girlfriends, Jessica & Audra.

Standing with Audra as we sang I Believe at the end of the concert...It's tradition!

Audra's Ring Day!

2009-04-17T21:01:00.000-07:00

Today, I had the joy of joining Audra when she received her Aggie ring...which for those of you who don't know that's a BIG deal for us Aggies! We work very hard to earn it & the day we get it is a huge landmark!

My college roomies, Audra & Brittney ~ very fun!
(Audra has been introducing Jon as my new roommate & it makes me laugh!)

This is a video of Audra actually getting her ring ~ I loved the jumping. Enjoy a peak at what every Aggie looks forward to!

More Honeymoon...

2009-04-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

The wedding weekend was a blast & just flew by! Before we knew it we were overlooking the beautiful, sunny beaches of Cancun. It was such a relaxing trip & wonderful to be together! Here are some pictures ~ so you can enjoy a taste of our amazing honeymoon!

This was the view from our balacony! We loved it!

We did take a morning to go snorkeling ~ our adventure of the week! It was amazing to see the little & big fishes ~ as well as the coral reef that the Lord has made & sustained!

We also went kayaking ~ which we did very well at ~ until a little topple over in the ocean at the very end of our voyage!

We enjoyed our days on the beach ~ Here I am sporting the sunglasses that the ocean now owns!

We very much enjoyed the food ~ it was wonderful. The displays were even pretty! Here is a carved watermelon!

We found this little coffee shop, Mikes & it become one of our favorite spots to sit, chat & enjoy some good reading!

One of our other favorite restaurants made wonderful fajitas (& other things too) ~ so great we will share the description with you!

Fun with Mikayla

2009-04-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

Last night, Jon & I went over to watch Mikayla ~ one of our sweet little friends. She was just recently one of our flower girls. We had alot of fun playing which consisted of hide & seek, watching movies, airplane, much tickling, dancing & reading of books!

Here is a glimpse of Jon's Airplane Game to which Mikayla replied ~ "Again Jon ~ Airplane again!!

"

Guest Book Pages ~

2009-04-11T11:58:00.001-07:00

We enjoyed so much reading our guest book pages ~ that we thought we would share a few of our favorite comments with you all. Hope you enjoy!

How do you know Jonathan or Megan?

~ I am pretty much their most favorite person in the world.

~ Jon once helped me smuggle relatives across the border.

~ We don't we just saw the sign that said reception & food!

~ Megan is our niece, and Jonathan has long been "that guy".

Any advice for the Newlyweds?

~ You have chosen your love ~ love your choice.

~ Don't major on the minors

~ Set your thermostat to 78 degrees in the summer

~ Be kind to minorities

~ Live close by!

~ Buy your own island & start your own country ~ call it Warrenopia.

Favorite Jon or Meg Memory:

~ When Jon was on the phone with Megan. Which was all the time.

~ When Megan got a bean stuck up her nose.

~ Capture the flag before AWANA

~ Megan & Jonathan both being shy and quiet

~ We remember them dancing at Tim & Casey's wedding ~ that's when we noticed the sparks!

Number of Children (That we are apparently having anytime between 8 months & 2 weeks from now ~ to two years from now!):

~ A gaggle

~ 12 (the most listed)

~ minimum of 2 (least listed)

Our Favorite Recommended Names:

~ Bogey

~ Tecumseh

~ Eunice

~ Juanita

~ Shaquetha

~ Lily, Rose & Daisy

Knitted Together...

2009-04-09T17:59:00.000-07:00

I am amazed ~ Just how amazing is our Lord who knits together these tiny babies??

This whole growing process has been incredible ~ I love getting updates on our niece. We have gone from "I'm as big a peanut" to "My ears are fully developed, now I can hear you!!" to moving & grovin' in my sister, Casey's belly! Jon & I can't wait to become Aunt Meggy & Uncle Jon!!

See my niece, Natalie Elyse, shakin' & bakin' in the Lord's care below :)

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully & wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works & my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them" Psalm 139: 14-16

Honeymoon Snapshots

2009-04-08T14:14:00.001-07:00

Hello ~ from two very happy married people! We thought we would share just a few pictures of the honeymoon for now ~ more to come later! We also wanted to share eight things with you since we had the blessing of being in beautiful Cancun for eight days! We love you all!

1) We had a blast ~ relaxing, resting & enjoying time together.

2) We praised the Lord all week for his beautiful creation ~ we enjoyed the beach, the ocean & the sun (and our favorite drink lady ~ who supplied us with fluids on the beach) ~ ALL week!

3) We loved relishing in memories & piecing together our separate memories of the wedding day ~ and realizing the great grace of God to us in allowing us to become one!

4) We heard our fair share of Kenny G ~ multiple times a day! We contemplated offering to buy the restaurants a new soundtrack...

5) We were overwhelmed by the graciousness of people to come out & celebrate with us ~ what a blessing & gift of people's time!

6) Megan was delighted to eat guacamole daily & Jon actually decided he kinda liked it! She's winning him over! (He actually discovered he makes very good dressed up coffee as well ~ and LIKES it!)

7) Isn't that the most fun sand castle? We enjoyed playing in the sand & claiming other people's amazing works as our own : )

8) We are married! We are enjoying one of God's richest blessings ~ what a sweet joy it is to be daily encouraged & challenged our walks with the Lord as we mutually seek Him & His glory ~ and on top of that to be loved & cared for within the context of marriage to your best friend! We love it!

History of Love...

2009-03-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

As I was thinking this week about where the Lord has brought Jon & I over the years ~ I thought it would be fun to do a timeline of our love ~ and well ~ we will just say way before our love even began.

December 8, 1997 ~ Megan's journal entry at age 10 ~ "I'm in love with Jonathan Warren"

July 15, 1998 ~ Megan's journal entry ~ "For some reason I feel sure that he is the man, I wonder why?"

2000 ~ Jon moved to CO & back ~ He began to notice Megan

2003 ~ Jon & Megan started writing notes back & forth; Jon came over with his sister, Jenny to the Bozemans for visits! (Thank you Jen ~ for chaperoning for us for awhile ~ we are grateful!)

2004 ~ Megan went on Vacation with the Warrens to New Mexico. Jon & Megan washed dishes (which was not a new occurrence ~ we are very good at washing dishes!) & sat very close for many hours while doing a puzzle ~ just to be in each others presence.

2004 ~ Jon started coming over for dinner at the Bozemans without Jenny!

Summer 2004 ~ Dance lessons for Tim & Casey's Wedding! First time Jon told me I was beautiful!

Fall 2004 ~ Jon asked Megan's Dad if he could call her once a week to talk. He called every Wednesday night consistently starting the spring semester.

Summer 2005 ~ Jon hung out with Megan through bikerides, youth group, college Bible study, and family get togethers.

Late July 2005 ~ Jon came to ask Dad if he could begin pursuing a relationship with Megan.

August 5th, 2005 ~ Our first date at Sardini's in Fort Worth. We were both so nervous ~ that we split a salad & a plate of chicken parmesan and had plenty of leftovers. Afterwards we went to Barnes & Noble & Starbucks.

Three weeks later ~ Megan left for camps for A&M & Jon went to Letu a few weeks later.

October 2005 ~ Jon's first visit to College Station ~ for a A&M & Baylor football game! Jon's first Aggie football game! Our First Kiss!

Christmas Break 2005 ~ Jon hadn't called in 3 weeks ~ ran into him at the mall :) Obviously ~ we worked things out!

Summer 2006 ~ Both home! Our first time to be in the same city & dating. It was fun & a great time to really get to know each other. We loved it! We were both very sad to have to go back to college that fall.

November 2006 ~ Jon came to visit & told me that he loved me. (This is actually quite a funny story ~ which I am not going to include here as I am realizing we have a lot of history ~ but you should ask us about it sometime!)

August 2007 ~ Jon joins our family on vacation to visit my brother, Bryan & Grandparents in Seattle!

Tim, Casey, Jon & I in Grandma & Grandpa's Creek

Jon & Megan in a castle in the children's section of a very large bookstore in Downtown Seattle.

Parents Weekend 2007 ~ Jon joined Matt & Jan, Megan's parents, to come in for A&M's Parents Weekend & to see Megan's Women's Chorus concert.

May 2008 ~ Jon moves to College Station! Whoop!

August 2008 ~ We celebrated 3 years dating!

November 2008 ~ Jon asked me to be his wife! I joyfully said YES!

We are getting married Saturday, March 28th! We can't wait & are thankful for the Lord's sovereignty over our relationship and grace to us through the years.