April 29th

We anticipated this day since our last visit to the doctor. One, because it was Marc's 35th Birthday and we were having all of our friends over to celebrate, Two it was the start of a very fun filled weekend at Stagecoach (a country music festival, that just down the street and all weekend long). Three, we had our very first ultrasound and we'd hope to find out the sex of our little baby! We made a promise to keep our ultrasound a secret from our friends. We really wanted to surprise them at the party.

I got off at 12noon and our appointment was at 1:00pm...I had to go in the room by myself at first, which seemed like a life time of her moving the doppler back and forth on my belly...but I talked her ear off, so it made up for the anticipation she was putting me through. As she was moving the doppler back and forth, she finally let me take a look at what was going on. My sweet little baby was just moving all over the place!! It was an incredible sight...it's mouth was totally opening and closing, like it was talking or it may have been hungry?!? I couldn't wait for Marc to join and see how amazing it was. Finally, she called in Marc and our mothers to join in on the action. Right before she left, she said she was having difficulty seeing what it was...and by the time she got back the baby was butt up and we got a perfect view - of what I wasn't sure, so I yelled out, "Are those balls or a vagina!!??" hahahaha and then she announced that is was GIRL!!!! Tears came a rollin', Marc got a huge smile on his face, and our mom's rejoiced! It was a fun moment for sure...we got a ton of pictures, here are a few...for some reason when I upload they turn sideways...gah!

I think the second best part of this day was letting our friends know...we actually surprised them (and I am really bad a keeping a surprise secret)...so we told everyone that we were going to play a little Family Feud on the PS3, and we were going to draw numbers to find out who was on each team....the rule to picking a number was they couldn't peek at the number until everyone got a number. Little did they know all their little pieces of paper said, "IT'S A GIRL!!"...they were completely surprised and excited! Our friend Jennifer opened it and said, "It's a girl??' as in, what the hell kinda number is that??!! Then I said with a big smile, "Yes, it's a girl' pointing to my stomach and then all I remember is jumping up and down while hugging Jessica...it was so much fun and I was so excited our little secret was out, I really don't know how much longer I could have kept it in!! So, there you have it folks, we're having a little baby girl. I CAN'T wait to start decorating her nursery and buying cute little girl things...she will for sure, be the most stylish little girl, thanks to her Daddy!! ;) 

Today, I'm 19 weeks, but in my ultrasound I measured 17 weeks, 1 day...and our due date as of today is October 6th. I have a feeling our baby will always measure a little smaller...let's face it, we aren't the tallest people! ;) I'll post a "lovely lady bump" picture soon! 

Breaking News!

We have some pretty big news to release….DRUM ROLL PLEASE!! (Insert your drum roll sound, cymbals and all)….Marc and I are MOVING!!!! After two years of living with Ingrid and Jeff, we have finally paid off our debts and are ready to embark in a new adventure. Now of course, a couple things have changed since we decided to take a risk, sell our mobile home and move in with the ‘rents. Initially our intentions were the following:

• Pay off debt
• Plan Wedding – debt free
• Save for a home

However, life is always changing and at that time Marc didn’t have a set plan on what he wanted to do with his schooling. We now know, and unfortunately/fortunately when he graduates with his BS in Public Administration, his next venture will most likely take us out of the desert and into another location. Thus, getting into a mortgage and owning a home isn’t the first on our list…so we decided that renting a place is the best option for us, until we know for sure what the future has in store for us. Plus, we are going to continue to be debt free and save for the day when we do want to get into a house.
We went in looking for 3bed/3bath houses to accommodate guests and our “big eyes”…instead we feel in love with a cute little 2bed/2.5bath townhome in Downtown Palm Springs. The price is right, along with the layout, location, space….I could go on and on! I think it will be one easy move. One, because I can’t help physically move the boxes (thanks baby bump) and two, everything is already boxed up and ready for the move! So, watch out Palm Springs The Brown’s are coming in June!
Now, since we are moving, we managed some energy to start some furniture facelifts! This past weekend, we took Marc’s two-toned dresser into a sophisticated dressah….yes with an “ah”, that’s how sophisticated it is. ;) This is technically the first piece for the baby’s room…even if Marc will be using it. What do you think!!??

We heart you.

On Thursday, we got another opportunity to hear Baby B's heartbeat. This time we didn't leave questioning if we heard it or not....we heard it loud and clear. It was incredible, amazing and filled us with so much excitement!

I now have my 2nd blood test to do and we scheduled our first ultrasound! So, stay tuned to find out what we're having. The baby sex pool is about 50/50. ;)

Good things about my 2nd Trimester thus far:
• I only gained 1 lbs since my last visit a month ago, which def. boosted my self esteem.

• I'm back at the gym and making it to my favorite class: Body Pump! It felt so good to have energy and to get my sweat on!

• It's starting to warm up so I can live in dresses instead of uncomfortable pants!

I'm 16 weeks today and the baby is the size of an Avocado....we'll call it our little guacamole for the week.

Oh! And I can't forget to mention....Marc received "Employee of the Month" this month!


He got this awesome framed certificate, a $50 bonus AND an awesome parking spot for the whole month! Not to mention he's the 5th person to receive this honor (they started this award this season) and the first guy from the Golf Department to get it. I'm so proud of him and I know how hard he works, so it's much deserved. :)


Amber
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My Lovely Lady Bump.

We found out 1.29.11 that I was pregnant. Which happens to be my grandfather's birthday. Which is so awesome to me, especially because it makes me think he is still with us in everything we do. The day we found out he passed, my cousin Kari found out she was pregnant - a true definition of the circle of life. And then we found out we were expecting on his birthday. Gives me chills and big smile on my face (and a tear in my eye). I know he would be so happy for Marc and I.

That day was a very emotional day - good emotions, scared emotions, OMG emotions! Both of our families were very supportive and excited. I ended taking a test with my girlfriend Jennifer, while Marc and Tyler were at a golf tournament for the day. Let's just say that was a very long day because, I refused to text or call Marc to let him know. Instead Jenn and I made him a little onesie that said "Baby Brown"...If you want to know the rest, ask me in person and I'll tell you the whole story. ;) That one I will never forget.

At that point I was about 5 weeks along...and our baby would be due early October. I've been making a few notes in my phone about things that have happened since then...here they are:

• I've always wanted to be like that mom in the movie "JACK" where she plays with him with all the makeshift Armour....that movie was on the day after we found out and I hadn't seen it in a while. 
• Marc's dad joked that we were having twins (since there is a set of twins in his family) - and on my way to work on Monday there was a van that pulled in front of me and the sticker on the back said, "Got Twins?"  hahah - umm I hope not!!
• On my first visit to the doctor - our wedding song was playing as I waited. 
• 3.17.11 - we heard our baby's heartbeat for the first time!! It was nothing like we thought it would be...we heard it for about 2 seconds and then she tried once more and we heard it for another 1 second. Either way it was awesome knowing our little bun was in there. It was extra special as well because both our mom's joined us! 

So, here I am starting my 15 week - which means I've made it through the first trimester and I am a 1/3 of the way done!! I haven't experienced much morning sickness...but my energy level comes and goes. I am turning into a morning person, instead of a night owl. Did I really just say that??!!! Oh and I pee like it's going out of style. ;P Our little baby is as big as an apple, and has made mommy jump up two pant sizes in a little over 3 months...I will be living in dresses these next 6 months, more specifically maxi dresses. I am so thankful for friends who were just pregnant and their hand me down maternity clothes!! 

Here is what I looked like at 7 weeks...and then at 14 weeks. That lovely lady bump is a comin'...

a new beginning.

Well, I have finally made myself get on this blog and do a post. Times passes way too fast and although I think I can keep all of our special moments in my memory bank. I soon realized that I'm getting "mommy brain" and can't remember much these days. I finally can understand where my mom is coming from when she says that we didn't tell her, but we really did! ;) Sorry, I've given you so much grief mommy...but I will try to be more sympathetic from now on!

With that said...I'm also going to start posting more often, however I am not going to worry about grammar or getting everything out I would like to...I'm going to use this blog like it's meant to be used, as a journal of our experiences and milestones. Even if that's a couple sentences here and there. I think this approach will be less intimidating and I'll get more out of this project than striving for perfection. Cuz, lets be honest, I don't have time now and I am certain when our bun is done cookin', I will have less time. ;)

Love.Music.Love

In honor of the month where we celebrate L-O-V-E. Here's a couple of my current music videos/songs that express that 4-letter word so dearly. Enjoy.

And for all those who've had a broken heart, or two...these songs are perfect!

CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THIS SONG!!

Simple Changes.

When you're living in someone else's house, you are pretty limited to what you can change. The In-Laws were pretty open to Marc and I changing around the furniture and making our bedroom our own. But, I'm the type if it it's not broken, no need to fix it. Needless to say, we haven't done much to make our room much different than the day we moved in. I mean the most we've done is bring in a desk for Marc to do his school work and a little side table to catch all his school books. Oh! And the lovely walk-in closet that is really only 50% mine....let's face it, Marc has a lot of clothes, and I'm obviously really good at sharing. ;) Then, there is one other thing I ended up changing - the bed linens. First, let me explain. Moving into a room that was fully furnished was thee best, but moving into a room with one giant KING bed (with a tempur-pedic mattress I might add!) was beyond great! I began playing with the different linens my MIL had around, and soon found myself getting "bored" with all my different combos. You see, my favorite thing to do with our queen bed (when we had our place) was to change the duvet cover and get new sheets...it made the room seem brand new! (insert Marc's eyes rolling here) Since, I was a little exhausted of what we had in stock, I found a great deal on a gray king quilt...I soon found myself refreshed with the linens and the bed came back to life! Then, a couple weeks ago, my mom and I went to visit my Sis and naturally we did some retail therapy. It was actually more for my sister, as we took a trip to IKEA to help her find somethings for her new place. Can I just say I love that place, although it made me miss having my own home...but that didn't stop me from purchasing! I ended up finding these awesome king green sheets for like $15.00!! Oh that's not all...I also scored on 2 artsy throw pillows for only $2.99ea, are you outta mind!! I've refrained myself from buying king sized sheets, because when we move we won't be able to use them. BUT, how could I pass up $15 sheets!!?? I am so pleased with my find, I had to blog about it. It's those simple changes that make a room feel alive again. I mean come on, aren't the colors great!?

What are some simple changes you like to do around your house?
Amber
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best. day. ever.

After 9 long months, and 29 days, I have finally received my wedding photos. I'm not going to go into why it took so long, because I'm seriously exhausted thinking and talking about it. Instead, I'm going to be thankful I have them, because looking at them today was WELL WORTH THE WAIT. They are so special and beautiful, makes me tear up just typing about it. 

a date with a date.

It's very rare that when Marc goes back to work we get the same day off. About two months ago, our days off aligned and we decided to go to breakfast at Shields Date Gardens. Shields is a historical place for the Coachella Valley. It was established in 1924 and currently houses 95% of the worlds dates. It's THEE best place to stop and taste your first Date Shake (which is actually quite delicious!). You can sip on your shake while watching the 15 minute movie, "Romance & Sex Life of a Date.' They just opened up a cafe that serves Breakfast and lunch, but enough with my sales pitch (sometimes I get carried away.) ;) I convinced my hubby that riding our bikes would be fun! He was a little apprehensive, but agreed and, we took bike ride to breakfast. It was nice to get out and actually take advantage of our local tourist attraction. Here's an IPhone shot of Marc in front of the original Shields sign.


For more info on Dates, click here.

A Few Days Colored in Amber...Part 3

Man Alive! I'm back...and well. I think it's only right to finish this series post, clearly I'm not good at taking on "series posts"...Anyways, is it wrong, that even though it's been two months since my FAM, I still remember it clear as day..but I can't remember what I had for lunch today?? Here it is folks...the latter half of the FAM which was full of fun events like these....

Tuesday, October 26, 2010 - Day 2

We started bright in early with Breakfast at the the La Quinta Resort & Club. This place happens to be MY FAVORITE place to eat Breakfast. I guess you can say, I planned it that way...but honestly everything about the La Quinta Resort speaks, no, no, screams Palm Springs! I mean, it's technically in La Quinta, but the resort grounds are breathtaking and perfectly tucked up against our Chocolate Mountains, which gives one a true Palm Springs Destination experience. After breakfast we took a tour of the resort and ran into their Director of Tennis, Tom Gorman, for those you who aren't tennis buffs you can learn more about him by clicking here.

After we were star struck, we made our way to tour the The Living Desert, we had a lemonade with the leopards and mingled with the giraffes. 

Up next, more food! Lunch at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, which was actually quite the treat because we had it in the middle of The Show - which is the casino's concert theater! We followed lunch with a team-building activity that gave back to our community. The team-building activity is called, Build-a-Bike. We split into teams and are given challenges to solve. Once you solve a challenge your team is rewarded a bike part. Each team makes 2 bikes by the end of the challenges. At the beginning of the activity we let the clients know the bikes they're building are going to under privileged children who have never owned a bike, which makes the process very special. However, what we don't tell them is that they get to actually get to give the bikes to the children! So, once all the bikes are made, we get them all lined up and SURPRISE, in come the kids with huge smile on their faces, and the client's tears come a rollin'. It's an amazing experience, and no matter how many times you've experienced it, you still get all choked up! Here are a few pictures from that day....

The fun certainly didn't stop there...for dinner we followed a little white rabbit to Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, because we simply couldn't be late for a very important date! We were completely taken into Wonderland, and had a family style dinner with the Mad Hatter. But, what's dinner with the Mad Hatter without your very own Mad Hatter Top Hat!? The clients were each given a top hat to design and make their own. During dinner the Alice in Wonderland was playing on the big screen to bring together the imaginative atmosphere. This is one dinner event, I will never forget!

 Look at those creative hats!

 Mr. Mad Hatter

Wednesday, October 27, 2010 - Day 3 
I know that Tuesday is a hard day to follow...but we still had one more event to go! This FAM we tried a little something new and outside of the box. I put together and, planned our very first Desert Storm Apprentice Challenge. We played off the Donald Trump TV Show, The Apprentice and added a twist of Palm Springs.We teamed up with AdVenture Group Inc (for more about them click here), and went from city to city preforming challenges for points at each hotel on our list. Each team was given a camera, and codes to text "Mr. Trump" for the next location. It ended up being a HOOT! My memory is failing, but one of the challenges we performed we arrived at the hotel to get dressed up in goofy Halloween gear, toured the hotel taking specific notes and ended up in a guest room, where we were challenged to make a bed like the housekeepers do. Let's just say, the Team Black totally ROCKED IT and made a perfect bed in 2min5sec! ;)

We ended the day with a fabulous dinner at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, with belly dancers and saxophone players. And, that my friends brings my series post to an end. finally. :)

Reflecting on this FAM, is getting me anxious for the next FAM, how am I going to top this one??!!