The Time Our Dryer Caught the $300 Flu

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we've discussed the appliances in my house before, yes? Okay, good....

So you already know that they are all in cahoots with each other and when one breaks and gets to see the repair man, the others get jealous.

The last few weeks have been no different.

Three weeks ago, our ice maker took a dump. It just stopped making ice. Sure, you'd think ice was no big deal, but it's like a level red emergency at our house. Especially because my mother in law was arriving a week later. WE NEED ICE. The woman lives off of Gin & Tonics.

(no, really, I am not joking)


So, the appliance repair man came for a visit.

He did some poking and prodding and announced he needed to move the fridge.

I've lived in our house almost 4 years now and guess what I have never done.....
Yeah, that.

Sweet Jesus, that was disgusting.
Receipts, those damn card things that fall out of magazines, magnets we did not own, cat food, a random paper clip, all were living under there. I wanted to curl up and hide under the sink.

Thankfully, the appliance man was like "Psshh, that's nothing. Where's your vacuum?" And cleaned it all up for me.... bonus points for him.

As it turns out, the line to the ice maker was frozen. He was able to fix it and life went on.

OR so we thought.

Fast forward to the following Thursday.
I was knee deep in a pile of laundry when our dryer suddenly quit.
Having been part of a family that owns a commercial laundromat, I know a few tricks. So, I checked the breaker, the outlet and the power plug and determined them to all be in working order.

Later that day I climbed behind the dry (oh, the things I do at nap time) and took the back off of it.
That's when the head scratching really started.... I know a good deal about commercial, gas powered dryers. But a residential, electric dryer.... huh? I don't know nothing about no residential, electric dryers.

So, I did what any red blooded American female would do.... I cried and called my dad.
(I would call Mr. Berg but he doesn't fix stuff... okay, he fixes some stuff, but I know his limitations.... I know them well)

I explain the situation to my Dad.

Our conversation went something like this:
(mind you I'm hunched behind the dryer, phone in hand, lint all over me)
Did the breaker trip? Nope
Is the outlet working? Yes
Is the plug live? Yes
Did you pull off the back? Of course
Anything out of place? Nope.
The belt? Fine
Wires? All in place
Gas Line attached? It's Electric, Dad
Huh? My sentiments exactly.


At this point, we are both stumped.
Bring on the appliance repair man......

The repair arrives the following Monday while our sitter was over.
She called me at 9:15 to tell me the following:
- It cost us $215.00 for the repair man to come out and do his thing.
-There is nothing wrong with the dryer.
- It has to be an electrical issue.
-Dry is still not running

AUGHGHAGHAGHAGHAGH!


Since I don't take bull shit lying down, I call our electrician.
(Owning a construction company has it's perks)

The electrician calls me 30 minutes later.
He can't find anything wrong, but the dryer is working.

WHAT?

He flipped the breaker off and on, unplugged and replugged the dryer, and ta-da, it started working again.

But I did that like 45 times this past weekend!

Our electrician dies laughing.

I am not amused.

While I own the construction company, I still have to pay the construction company.
$75.00 later, good God.
We sill have no idea why the dryer stopped working, how it started working again, or what the eff word really happened.

But my dryer is working. I don't have to drag my wet laundry to the laundromat anymore.
And the creepy guy that watched my underpants go round and round will have to find some  new kind of entertainment.

(another story for another day)

Sad News Monday

While the waters are calm in the Berg household, it feels like uncertain seas are swirling around us. At every turn there is sad news, heartache and unthinkable acts. We sigh and shake our heads, sending up silent prayers for peace, comfort and understanding. While logically we know we cannot catch divorce or heartache, we are a long way off from old age, we fear it's existence in our lives. We are reminded that really bad things can happen to really good people.

Mr. Berg and I have very different processes for understanding, dealing with and managing our emotions regarding these things. Often we change stances depending on who has more information, what side of the table we are sitting on, how this impacts family versus friends.

It is all so very sad.

But in the quiet, darkness of our king size bed, I reach out for a familiar hand and a voice of reassurance.

I know that anything can happen. We are not immune to the events that are swirling around us. Marriages end, people get old, sickness, illness, instability is everywhere we turn.

But sometimes I still need to believe, need to hold close to my heart, the hope and promise that it can never happen to us.

It is a lie, but sometimes, I just need to believe it.

Sometimes I am a Friggin Genius!

I just realized that I am an idiot. Wanna hear why?


I have a realitive that is getting married in June in London, England. I am thrilled for her, she is getting her dream wedding. However, I am not very close to her and frankly, I don't want to travel that far for a wedding of someone that I'm not terribly close with. That and she isn't serving dinner, or drinks... nothing. Call me a cheap skate, but if I'm taking a transatlanitc flight, I anticipate dinner.

Anyway...

A month a go I RSVP'd saying that Mr. Berg and I could not attend because we weren't willing to be so far away from Ryan. Especially being overseas, it just wasn't something I was comfortable with.  It seemed like a wonderful idea at the time.
Fast forward several weeks and.....

Mr. Berg and I got the invitation to travel to Germany for his job. Of course, we jumped at that opportunity and never though twice about leaving Ryan with my parents for a week.


Yup...... because Germany is so close by!


Have I mentioned that the trip to Germany is the week BEFORE said relatives wedding?

Yup, genius in the making right here.

Methinks I may have difficulty explaining this one.

As Usual......

I make plans, I set a schedule, I obsess over to-do lists and last minute details. Finally, I will step away from my madness, satisfied smile on my face. I have created the perfect plan. I will do all the things.

And within 45 minutes, it has all gone to shit.

Take yesterday for example.
I finished my 3rd workout for the weekend, went to take a shower and noticed some discomfort when I used the bathroom. YAY! UTI for J-Berg.
It's been a back and forth. One minute I feel good, the next minute I do not.
I debated calling the doctor all morning before finally breaking down and making an appointment. I don't want to get as ill as I did several years ago. But at the same time, I hate paying a co-pay and lab work costs if there ain't nothing going on but some minor irritation.
How do I go through an entire pregnancy without a UTI and then randomly show up with on after nothing exciting? The world may never know.

So that throws off my typically productive Monday at work.
Followed by the concern... am I going to feel well enough to work out tonight?

And... because there is always an AND when it comes to my life...

It's a friggin blizzard outside. Just what I need, the opportunity to drive 30 minutes across town to go pee in a cup, drive to the pharmacy and all that jazz.

Did I mention Ryan was up 7, yes you read that right, 7 times last night?

Happy Monday y'all!

The Calm Before the Madness

I'm seriously enjoying the last few hours of my work day today. Not because it isn't stressful or life isn't crazy, because it is. It really, really is. I'm enjoying the last few hours because once I get home, I start hitting the ground running again.

The next 2 weeks will most likely be a whirlwind. I have 14 days before we leave for South Carolina.  8 of those are in the office, 1 is a work from home day, and 3 are being spent at the beach. I have to fit in 9 workouts, 10 dinners, countless load of laundry, and I have to pack 3 suitcases- twice. Truthfully, that's just scratching the surface of the list.


So yes, for now, I'm enjoying the peace and quiet and making a lot, a lot of lists.


This morning I had the pleasure of grading graduation exit projects at a local high school. I happen to be an alumni of this particular school so get an extra kick out of being there. Plus, it's typically extremely entertaining.


For example:

Kids these days are wearing BOW TIES to school. BOW TIES. And yes, they look completely ridiculous doing so.

I'm frequently left wondering what these girls are down with these low, low, low cut jeans. And then I laugh because some day, they will have babies and they will have belly fat that just won't quit. (I know this because I was once wearing those low, low, low cut jeans and now my fat would just push them all the way down.)

And finally, the pretty girls are still really mean.

In other news:
My favorite pair of grey dress pants fit again.... sort of.
I should probably wear them every day. Then I would be able to remind myself NOT to eat. Like, ever... ever..... ever.

I keep looking at my calender and thinking.... there is just now way I'm going to get all this shit done.
And I won't if I keep hanging out here talking about it :)

Spring? Spring? Bueller? Anyone?

Well, the first day of Spring has arrived.... as I type this wearing a sweater, sitting beside a space heater and sipping really hot coffee.

Mother Nature is sleeping in it seems.

I realized this morning that I haven't really filled ya'll in on how my goal for March is going.

Get organized month has sort of taken a backseat to all the drama and what not that circulated around us. While I have no been able to organize specific areas around my house like I had originally intended, I have gotten out day to day routine into a much more organized rhythm.

Our new sitter comes to our house twice a week to watch Ryan. This means we have more time in the mornings to get ready. We aren't running around prepping last minute bottles, gathering toys and double checking list of things we need.

Instead, I can prep what Ryan will need the night before. Nothing needs to be packed up.
If bottles are in the dishwasher, I have time to prep them or leave them until I get home.
The sitter does some light house work and we aren't worried about extra laundry, etc from daycare. Everything stays in our house.

That cut down tremendously on the rat race.

With that said, Mr. Berg and I have also put together a better plan for helping with household chores and getting things ready for each day. We do as much as we can the night before. We divide and conquer in the mornings. The stress level as decreased 10 fold AND we are finding more time for workouts and personal time.

I cannot begin to explain how good this feels.


Now if the weather would just warm up!

Spring, Where Are You?

Yesterday, I had a meeting acrost the river. Which is Pennsylvania Dutch speak for "Yesterday, I drove to Lancaster for a a meeting." Typically, it's a pleasant 45 minute drive, for a hour meeting and a pleasant 45 minute drive home. No big deal.

Expect there was a switch up. The drive to my meeting was its typical pleasant self. Our meeting even let our 20 minutes early. I was stoked, that meant I could get home early.

Or not....

As I was walking towards the doors to the parking lot, I heard the icy tinging of sleet on the windows. As luck would have it, we actually got the winter weather that forecasters where predicting, which hasn't exactly happened in a while. So, my typical 30 minute drive home was instead a hour and a half, complete with traffic accidents, 20 mile an hour driving on the highway and plenty of mergers to get around rescue workers and fire police.

Tomorrow is the first day of spring, have a I mentioned that?

I am so ready for warmer weather. We are leaving for a Southern Ground trip in two weeks and I have yet to even fathom pulling out my spring clothing. Here's hoping I fit into them.

In other news, in the form of 10 Things Tuesday:

1. Ryan started with a new babysitter on Monday. It has been an easy transition so far. As sad as I am about his old babysitter, this was a much, much needed change.
2. I am so close to my first goal weight, I can taste it.
3. The next two weeks are going to be very hard for goal weight making, so I really need to buckle down and stick to making good decisions.
4. I have a really funny story about our dryer that died and came back to life after $300 and no real life saving efforts needed
5. Ryan is spending the night at his Grammy's house.... I am fine with it, I am fine with it, I am fine with it......
6. He's doing the above as practice for two weeks from now
7. Tonight is date night.... I have my "." Boooo
8. Really, I just excited for a good night's sleep, not that sleep as been that bad at our house lately
9. Mr. Berg and I have decided we are drinking beer on the airline on the way down for our trip. I'm all for it!
10. I am completely at a loss for Mr. Berg's birthday present

Ten Things Tuesday: What Spring Looks Like

1. The In-Laws arrive Friday and leave Monday. Enough said.
2. Easter will be spent at the beach with my parents and brother
3. We are leaving in early April for our Southern Ground Tour- Three days in Greenville with our friends and Three Days in Columbia, SC/Augusta, GA for the Master's Practice Rounds!
4. Ryan and I are having a Mommy Son weekend when Mr. Berg goes away for the Golf Tournament that started it all.
5. Girl's Weekend at the Beach with Mom
6. I'll be attending at least 10 different Career Fairs/Days, Mock Interview Events, and Senior Exit Project Grading Projects for local high schools. Some people spread the good news about Jesus, I spread the good news about Construction.
7. We'll be spending Memorial Day weekend with a Stay-cation! I'm excited for lots of grilling and ice cold beer.
8. Mr. Berg will travel to Ohio for his annual Insurance Sales Training (so.darn.boring.if.you.ask.me)
9. In June we will celebrate 4 years of wedded bliss.
10. Just before that, we're heading to GERMANY!!

Mr. Berg has been rewarded for all of his hard work with a trip to Germany. I am so freaking excited, I never thought we'd ever go to Germany!
Mr. Berg has been to the particular city we are visiting before. When it comes to European Travel I have only been as far as London. I cannot believe how fortunate we are to travel to a place we have never been, for free.

Cold Beer- Here I Come!

A Year Ago

Saturday marked an anniversary in the Berg household. It was one year ago that we found out we were having a boy. To date, March 9th, 2012 is one of my top five favorite days in my life.

It was a Friday, we both took off work and slept in. We have a leasurily morning getting for our ultrasound at our doctor's office. I remember what I wore, I remember how I felt, I remember how pretty my hair looked that day. It was a perfect, almost spring morning. I didn't need a coat, the breeze was lovely.

It was 10am and I was reclining in the ultrasound chair as the tech moved his wand over my belly. He asked if we wanted to know the sex and we said we did. I was sad when he told us he typically saves that news for the end. But as soon as the baby's image poped up on the screen he said "Well, there's not denying it. You have a little boy."

I squeezed Mr. Berg's hand, he sat there, completely quiet with a huge smile on his face.


Our Boy.

I knew it, I knew it all along, but at that moment, it was so, so real.

We spent the rest of the day ordering furniture, going out for lunch, and shopping for baby clothes. We later surprised my family with the big news!


It's hard to believe it was a year ago already.

A Good Place

A month ago, I sat on the floor of our highschool multipurpose room and tried to take deep, calming breaths as my yoga class began. My crossed legs felt tense, the space between my should blades was tight and my head felt foggy.

"I am not in a good place" keep echoing through me. And it was very true.
I was not in a good place. I was worried about my son, worried about my life, my health, my postpartum body. It all felt so overwhelming and heavy and unbareable.

I made it through the yoga class, slowly some of the weight slumped off my shoulders and my legs began to relax as I moved through the poses and embraced my downward dogness.

While I couldn't shake all of my tension and the dark cloud that hung over me remained. I stayed focused on the task... err Yoga at hand and kept on pushing.

As the hour came to a close, we laid in corpse pose as our instruction walked us through a meditation. I doubt she'll ever know how important her words were that day, but they have stayed with me ever since.

Why are you in such a rush to get to where ever it is you are going?

 

I couldn't answer her question. I didn't know why, but I knew I was rushing. And futher more, I knew I didn't need to be.

And there it was.... the answer, just stop.

Little by little, I began to let go. Little by little, the dark cloud began to lift.
Suddenly, it was easier to fit workouts into my life, my wasn't stress eating nearly as much. I found myself sleeping better, not more, but better.

It hit me this weekend as the sun shown brightly and the breeze carried the slightest little hint of Spring: I'm in a good place.

Maybe it's the letting good, maybe it's the extra hour of sunshine in our days. Not matter the reason, I'm in a good place.

It feels good, oh so good.

Thoughts on Baby #2 Part 1

I've been getting the same question a lot lately.

Do you think you'll have another?


I get it. It's the typical question everyone likes to ask. Ryan is almost 8 months old. We are finally standing on solid ground and this kid is finally, FINALLY, getting himself on a schedule.

However,what I do get is people saying this: "You aren't going to, are you?"

That annoys me...... A LOT.

I get it, I got sick.

I developed postpartum preeclampsia. I lost 1/2 of my blood volume. I  left the hosptial with severe anemia. I was a totally mess and it was a total shit show. Trust me, I remember it. I remember it well. In fact, if you really want to know, I am haunted by it. EVERY.DAMN.DAY.


But yes, YES we will have another.


Why do you ask?

Because the truth of the matter is this. Shit happens.
I had none of the risk factors of preelampsia.
I am not obese, I was never considered overweight while I was pregnant.
I never had protein in my urine prior to delivering Ryan.
My blood pressure was 100% perfect until induction day.
My blood work and all of my pregnancy screenings were stellar.
I did not have any warning signs.

Could it happen again? Yes
Will is happen again? I don't know.
PPPE is rare. There aren't a lot of known reasons for why it happens, especially in otherwise healthy pregnant women.

It's a risk I am willing to take. It is a risk my Doctor is comfortable with me taking.

My family of three is amazing, perfect and comfortable. But, we are not complete.
I don't want Ryan to grow up lonely. Mr. Berg is an only child, he grew up lonely.
I want the dynamic of a two parent, two child household.
I want to hear children laughing in the living room. I want to drive a gaggle of kids of soccer practice or football camp.
I want to see how Ryan is as a big brother.
I want Ryan is always have someone he can count on, other then his parents.
My brother means the world to me and I want my son to have the same.
I want to be pregnant again. I want to feel more baby hiccups and see more baby kicks. I want the excitement of finding out who is in there.

Do I want PPPE again? No, absolutely not.

But it was worth it, it was so much more then worth it.

Finding My Groove

There has been a lot of drama surrounding Berg Land lately. I am hesitant to say much because the drama is not ours. If it was ours, we all know I'd be airing out that dirty laundry in a heart beat. But, it's not ours and its sensitive for those involved. So I'll I can really say is: We have been impacted by a lot of events that are completely out of our control. It's complicated and we are hoping for the best.

With that said, I am starting to feel like I'm finding my groove as a parent, a working mom and a wife.

Ryan has starting napping on a semi- predictiable schedule for a substantial amount of time. Like 1-2 hours, rather then 35 to 40 minutes he was clocking before. This allows me some breathing room when I we're home together. It also means I have a solid time to workout, to clean, to work on things for my job, to actually feel like I know what I'm doing.

I got to work out 4 times this week. 4! It was amazing.

While the number on the scale moves more slowly then I'd like and my body looks a lot different then it had in past. I'm starting to not only feel a little more like myself, but I'm feeling empowered as well. Clothing that did not fit before is starting to fit. That alone is a world of difference to me. I'm starting to feel like me again and that feeling is driving me to eat healthier, plan better meals, accessorize a little more, actually attempt some of the beauty tutorials I've been watching.
Because I feel more like myself, and more in control of my life, I am nicer to my husband. I have more patience with my son and I have time for my friends.

It's getting so much better.


With that said. March Resoluation.

I wanted to move away from the healthy eating, workout, weight focused track that I've been on. However, I wanted to ensure that I was planning a resolution that allowed me to support those areas as well. Especially working out! February was in no way a failure, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a struggle either.

I decided that March is Get Organized Month.

Prior to Ryan I had a very structured, organized method to my madness. I was fluid enough to go with the flow, but organized enough that when things changed or shit hit the fan, I had a contingency plan in place.

Right now..... not so much. We are running at 50% organized and 50% chaos.

Which means: We are either really organized or really, really not.
And you never know which was the pengulum will swing.
I don't like living the bi-polar life style.

So, it's time to get organized.
My goal today it to put together a list of things I need in order to get organized.
As the month goes on, I plan to accomplish those things and report along as I go.

I'll keep you posted as we go along.

So, now it's time to do just that.....