tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8786822514224049272024-03-15T20:12:47.933-05:00Simply SarahSarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.comBlogger575125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-63177909042730522552022-05-28T21:32:00.001-05:002022-05-28T21:32:16.588-05:00Recipe: Oreo Truffles<div id="ingredients"><div class="table-row-gray"><div class="column1"><div class="textarea"><u><b>This recipe makes THE BEST Oreo Truffles! Try it and I’m sure you’ll agree!</b></u></div><div class="textarea"><u><b><br /></b></u></div><div class="textarea"><u><b>Ingredients </b></u></div><div class="textarea">8 oz. of Cream Cheese, softened </div></div></div><div class="table-row"> <div class="column1"> <div class="textarea"> 1 regular size package of Oreos <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(I like double stuffed ones)</span></div></div></div><div class="table-row-gray"> <div class="column1"> <div class="textarea">1/2 tsp of vanilla <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(you could use other extracts also, but I like vanilla)</span></div><div class="textarea">1/2 lb of semi-sweet chocolate morsels <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(I like Nestle Semi-Sweet Morsels)</span></div><div class="textarea">1/2 lb of white chocolate morsels <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(I like Nestle Premier White Morsels)</span></div><div class="textarea"><br />
</div><div class="textarea"><u><b>Instructions</b></u></div><div class="textarea" style="text-align: justify;">1. Crush Oreos into a fine powder. I used my blender <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(because at the time I didn't have a food processor...as of Christmas though now I do. Thanks mom!)</span> and just did 6-8 cookies at a time on the ice crush function. Then I'd pour out the cookie powder into my mixers bowl and let the blender crush another 6-8 cookies. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(If you don't have a blender or a food processor then I'd put the cookies in a gallon size plastic bag and roll over them with a rolling pin or a large can.)</span> Pour all cookie powder into a bowl for mixing.</div><div class="textarea" style="text-align: justify;">2. Mix cookie powder, vanilla, and cream cheese until well blended. You should see no traces of white anymore really. I use my stand mixer to do the blending work for me, because it's a really thick mixture and wears my arm out stirring.</div><div class="textarea" style="text-align: justify;">3. Scoop using a small cookie scoop or pinch out tablespoonish <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(yes, I'm making up words...lol)</span> amounts of the cookie mixture and roll into small balls. I personally use the pinch method because that's quicker and uses less dishes. Place the formed balls on a cookie sheet covered in wax or parchment paper. <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>After finishing forming all the balls, place cookie sheet into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before proceeding on to the next step. </i>This keeps the balls from losing their shape when you dip them in chocolate.</span><i><br />
</i></div><div class="textarea">4. Melt 3/4 of the semi-sweet chocolate morsels by warming them in the microwave for about a minute. Stir and place back in the microwave at 15 minute intervals until chocolate thins. (If you don't feel your chocolate has thinned well enough, you can add a 1/2 Tbsp of Crisco and it should help thin it a bit.) Remove your formed balls from the refrigerator. Dip half of them into the melted semi-sweet chocolate and place them back on the covered cookie sheet. Repeat Step #4 with the White Morsels and the other half of your formed balls.</div><div class="textarea">5. Melt the remaining 1/4 of the semi-sweet chocolate. Using a fork that's been generously dipped into the melted chocolate, make a sweeping motion over the white chocolate covered balls to make dark "stripes". Then, melt the remaining 1/4 of the white chocolate. Using a fork that's been generously dipped into the melted chocolate, make a sweeping motion over the semi-sweet chocolate covered balls to make white "stripes". </div><div class="textarea">6. Store in the fridge. Remove an hour or so before serving. </div><div class="textarea"><br />
</div><div class="textarea">Makes 40-50 truffles depending on the size of the balls you roll.<br />
</div><div class="textarea"><br /></div><div class="textarea">Affiliate Links </div></div></div></div>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-28667716410996464592022-05-08T17:02:00.003-05:002022-05-08T17:02:24.636-05:00TODAY ONLY!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4H3-mbT6MIOMLOjkL7O3vUqojvvB8MY4UtEJYgE4LYlvE7VJnAkvcaTxN8RHObdPzWqC4XNDelrFhKAsuJwqgf4DS_0EWHTBZ1j7XKjwjjfKaKmthbmky-QnLNG9XdgMezmSXZClQjkWHAO5CFI2Py0-BfTlvAJNSFqw9_niLCUyfmIMCb6sId9Oodg/s1800/18080D08-F84C-4CFC-9642-952402360B58.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1201" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4H3-mbT6MIOMLOjkL7O3vUqojvvB8MY4UtEJYgE4LYlvE7VJnAkvcaTxN8RHObdPzWqC4XNDelrFhKAsuJwqgf4DS_0EWHTBZ1j7XKjwjjfKaKmthbmky-QnLNG9XdgMezmSXZClQjkWHAO5CFI2Py0-BfTlvAJNSFqw9_niLCUyfmIMCb6sId9Oodg/s320/18080D08-F84C-4CFC-9642-952402360B58.jpeg" width="214" /></a></div><br /> Have you shipped the EXTRA 70% off clearance at J. Crew Factory yet???~~TODAY ONLY!~~ Here’s some of my favorite boy and girls items from the mega deal. Snag those or checkout the whole sale! Good on the whole family clearance!<p></p><p><br /></p><p>Boys:</p><p>$5.99 Blue Camo TShirt (Reg $32!) <a href="https://brandcycle.shop/3a8ny">https://brandcycle.shop/3a8ny</a></p><p>$5.99 Truck Pajamas (Reg $49!) <a href="https://brandcycle.shop/f5auu">https://brandcycle.shop/f5auu</a></p><p>$7.50 Pique Polo (Reg $35!) <a href="https://brandcycle.shop/5iemc">https://brandcycle.shop/5iemc</a></p><p>See all boys clearance> <a href="https://brandcycle.shop/iqh5z">https://brandcycle.shop/iqh5z</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Girls:</p><p>$8.99 Seersucker Skirt (Reg $49!) <a href="https://brandcycle.shop/g3mrz">https://brandcycle.shop/g3mrz</a></p><p>$8.99 Pocket Tee Dress (Reg $49!) <a href="https://brandcycle.shop/idhjl">https://brandcycle.shop/idhjl</a></p><p>$8.99 Scalloped Floral Short (Reg $49!) <a href="https://brandcycle.shop/322qi">https://brandcycle.shop/322qi</a></p><p>See all girls clearance> <a href="https://brandcycle.shop/5fy7r">https://brandcycle.shop/5fy7r</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Affiliate Links</p>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-16294682453359842612022-05-07T20:04:00.005-05:002022-05-07T20:04:58.035-05:00$99.98 Sun Joe pressure washer!<p> Sams Club has a big discount on this Sun Joe Pressure Washer and accessories that brings it down to~~$99.98!~~ We just used our pressure washer this week to make the porch flooring look almost new. Hoping to get our driveway and walkway done soon too! Grab this deal here> <a href="https://brandcycle.shop/e92h1">https://brandcycle.shop/e92h1</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7T89D00JeFBPa39WTUYY-vqHx4iGosiyEubZMHmh3gKXRfc6h4iPICxBEFDde5RT7qbvUhoLod8-4qoCkKcZtK2GW_hJ366pB7wDonMKhzP2-KoNGky-McMczRilgAGub4P5lx0lvPJ8sy4qJf6lrcE0WmpKB1ycixvYz_lgUlh0tpX1q0JnRYM3JdQ/s1800/36283F30-3919-441F-8757-0C47ACCAF566.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1610" data-original-width="1800" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7T89D00JeFBPa39WTUYY-vqHx4iGosiyEubZMHmh3gKXRfc6h4iPICxBEFDde5RT7qbvUhoLod8-4qoCkKcZtK2GW_hJ366pB7wDonMKhzP2-KoNGky-McMczRilgAGub4P5lx0lvPJ8sy4qJf6lrcE0WmpKB1ycixvYz_lgUlh0tpX1q0JnRYM3JdQ/s320/36283F30-3919-441F-8757-0C47ACCAF566.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>#themostdeals_050722</p><p>Affiliate Link </p>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-528149441207117452022-05-07T00:36:00.002-05:002022-05-28T03:44:35.412-05:00Wow!!! $39.97 each!!!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_gDR9CZcAEZpjQfNs5Viom66qNUZEf0ldwrYwW2gNDUa0tfr-zZG6BTMzc_LsFoCsequucVsheEmuii42VIGe4O3cr_OHbfpPi-VzsKmMvcVfOo_sEZVQYS9F9MqGfZ71U3uEKiWyA2LHW94XOOOr2CnAAQoskm9C0_U7IVsh-KIS-inACoNqu2uUA/s1800/8A094557-B166-497C-A472-429132EBEE2E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1682" data-original-width="1800" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_gDR9CZcAEZpjQfNs5Viom66qNUZEf0ldwrYwW2gNDUa0tfr-zZG6BTMzc_LsFoCsequucVsheEmuii42VIGe4O3cr_OHbfpPi-VzsKmMvcVfOo_sEZVQYS9F9MqGfZ71U3uEKiWyA2LHW94XOOOr2CnAAQoskm9C0_U7IVsh-KIS-inACoNqu2uUA/s320/8A094557-B166-497C-A472-429132EBEE2E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> STOCK THE GAME ROOM!!! GRAB Christmas and Birthday Presents!!! ~~ONLY 39.97 each!!~~ 😱<p></p><p><br /></p><p>ESPN 3-in-1 Arcade Basketball, Football, and Baseball is marked down to $39.97!! Grab that deal> <a href="https://brandcycle.shop/su9qg">https://brandcycle.shop/su9qg</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Metal Sports 48 inch Stand Alone Foosball Table is also only $39.97! Grab it here> <a href="https://brandcycle.shop/x414i">https://brandcycle.shop/x414i</a></p><p><br /></p><p>#themostdeals_050722 #themostdeals</p><p>Affiliate Link </p>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-37987006464732942712022-05-05T11:23:00.003-05:002022-05-05T11:23:27.520-05:00Hey Dude Sneakers as low as $36.99!!‼️<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpg-ykwtaC0DxdRMrf1qHp2-34rmhhS3EIGZHn8G8qTUsw_PIcQTQFlkEXp6q0hvappULOelmdkWmE8wKke1SG9SQxAcHkRkDTxWBRR6YTvJ3ZU3ShakZ9oWAcvEdSsb9S5CVHtLJkoGeLriV0mcNwkBwTVXA_m13aOKal6t3RWF4XQ6EEytIrmaMWBw/s1800/DD15FD62-AF4B-497D-AD7C-A33E8B8F527E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1684" data-original-width="1800" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpg-ykwtaC0DxdRMrf1qHp2-34rmhhS3EIGZHn8G8qTUsw_PIcQTQFlkEXp6q0hvappULOelmdkWmE8wKke1SG9SQxAcHkRkDTxWBRR6YTvJ3ZU3ShakZ9oWAcvEdSsb9S5CVHtLJkoGeLriV0mcNwkBwTVXA_m13aOKal6t3RWF4XQ6EEytIrmaMWBw/s320/DD15FD62-AF4B-497D-AD7C-A33E8B8F527E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> 🔥🔥EEEK!!!! Hey Dudes as low as $36.99!🔥🔥<p></p><p><br /></p><p> Hey Dudes for Men, Women & Youth, $41.99 - $54.99, BUTTTTTT if you also log into Woot.com with Amazon Prime membership you save an additional $5, bringing the prices to $36.99 - $49.99 + Free Shipping. Valid: 5/5, 12am CT – 5/9, 12am CT</p><p><br /></p><p>Snag the deal here>>> <a href="https://brandcycle.shop/09u63">https://brandcycle.shop/09u63</a></p><p><br /></p><p>#themostdeals_050522 #themostdeals_wootbyamazonfinds</p><p>Affiliate Link </p>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-37890381362855683182022-05-02T18:39:00.004-05:002022-05-31T12:19:50.142-05:0068% off!!<p> If you haven’t snagged it yet, grab one or some for gifts!! I can’t believe this price is still marked down! Here’s my kiddos (minus the dirt which is in a bag except for when they are actively playing). </p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/38TdyuR">Grab your Monster Jam Dirt Arena HERE</a></p><p>Affiliate Link</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAtJ9lKxbUO5NyLpombtkuLkqnMVajesVHj7u9eEs_a-wPgqxJbDR_VZNjQ7ZBhrpEimuhK-M_779iiHssaa4Oaa5SiBH6EW8CGIL0DM0w_P23uzI5UGR4E5baxg04lWxQNTltCwEoLKQxL8WndEpIYE0pO5j_Poc1XU5CR5G0YnmQnJq4wZrdpOSZQ/s4032/343B8AC8-9E5C-4422-8F1A-41B1B532E617.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAtJ9lKxbUO5NyLpombtkuLkqnMVajesVHj7u9eEs_a-wPgqxJbDR_VZNjQ7ZBhrpEimuhK-M_779iiHssaa4Oaa5SiBH6EW8CGIL0DM0w_P23uzI5UGR4E5baxg04lWxQNTltCwEoLKQxL8WndEpIYE0pO5j_Poc1XU5CR5G0YnmQnJq4wZrdpOSZQ/s320/343B8AC8-9E5C-4422-8F1A-41B1B532E617.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>#themostdeals_050222 #themostdeals #themostdeals_Christmasgiftstockup #themostdeals_giftclosetstockup #themostdeals_birthdaygifts #themostdeals_toys</p><p>Affiliate Link </p>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-50671298737052485832022-04-30T13:12:00.003-05:002022-04-30T13:12:33.899-05:00JEANS for the Fam!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoOFuBOFJZoU27-lSSOy_xcoNv-L4celXyg9KBgzgJnhtgG-88k2USLSKFNrhG4H0FbFSuCntgqEKfa2suF__Bf-JG5VaB7voabwNrUHd4KUAjnRSpYqkcaugOS4IdTrBNlbsPpA-Lky5ZxML7xkDgVTeNSd8wo0_-LxdtT6pBITYxFyv6xEmlHHSWow/s1777/3F33A0E8-CFAF-4CC9-B0D2-3C79587B80ED.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1676" data-original-width="1777" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoOFuBOFJZoU27-lSSOy_xcoNv-L4celXyg9KBgzgJnhtgG-88k2USLSKFNrhG4H0FbFSuCntgqEKfa2suF__Bf-JG5VaB7voabwNrUHd4KUAjnRSpYqkcaugOS4IdTrBNlbsPpA-Lky5ZxML7xkDgVTeNSd8wo0_-LxdtT6pBITYxFyv6xEmlHHSWow/s320/3F33A0E8-CFAF-4CC9-B0D2-3C79587B80ED.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Stockup the whole family on Old Navy jeans with special pricing of $10.50-$12.50 for ALL SIZES!!!</p><p>Girls Jeans $10.50!> https://brandcycle.shop/5yadb</p><p>Boys Jeans $10.50!> https://brandcycle.shop/951hb</p><p>Toddler Jeans> https://brandcycle.shop/3gw6e</p><p>Men’s Jeans $12.50!> https://brandcycle.shop/95rvk</p><p>Women’s Jeans $12.50> https://brandcycle.shop/mvliy</p><p>#themostdeals_043022 #themostdeals_boysclothes #themostdeals_mensclothes #themostdeals_womensclothes #themostdeals_schoolyearstockup #themostdeals_girlclothes</p><p>Affiliate Link </p>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-31004772604700247392022-04-29T19:35:00.001-05:002022-04-29T19:35:14.452-05:00Kids Bowl Free all Summer!<p> <span data-offset-key="enfin-0-0" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: Menlo, Consolas, Monaco, monospace; font-size: 13px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;">Have ya'll signed your kids up for this years "Kids Bowl Free"? Kids get 2 free games a day all summer long at local bowling alleys. You will need bowling shoes, but those are a $3.50 rental at my local bowling center. Sign your kids up for free here></span></span><span class="py34i1dx" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: var(--blue-link); font-family: Menlo, Consolas, Monaco, monospace; font-size: 13px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="enfin-1-0" style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.kidsbowlfree.com/referral.php?code=m8zoue</span></span></p>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-47110780338951004672022-04-29T14:22:00.002-05:002022-04-29T14:58:40.898-05:00Autobahn Indoor Speedway <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Have y’all ever tried Autobahn Indoor Speedway? Yesterday, my mom and I had the chance to go see what the hype was all about. (Y’all don’t laugh at my appearance, because I did NOT wash my hair or put on makeup for this lol).</span></div></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7B6pWEZiZWqE7REomWtrB81MfLzDBQNMtqcYWKBBwHv4xa9fVgyqZMtWqCVAydJd5Z6j4XWaW_-lEkMsCT4htSp7Ea2AF7zuc3j_c5or11_gOzKpVwKjhaAIg7uGAvjJhbocTm0WnrgF25GyPObN9QDpP7Pb4ylJrJg65YoSGIq-Xx85KoDg1vfCYAw/s3088/6E1A984D-80E9-42AA-B4C5-F4429CFF797E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7B6pWEZiZWqE7REomWtrB81MfLzDBQNMtqcYWKBBwHv4xa9fVgyqZMtWqCVAydJd5Z6j4XWaW_-lEkMsCT4htSp7Ea2AF7zuc3j_c5or11_gOzKpVwKjhaAIg7uGAvjJhbocTm0WnrgF25GyPObN9QDpP7Pb4ylJrJg65YoSGIq-Xx85KoDg1vfCYAw/s320/6E1A984D-80E9-42AA-B4C5-F4429CFF797E.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The employees were all really friendly. The front desk informed us we had to make a profile to get our “yearly drivers license” which I believe costs $7.95, but lasts for a whole year. So we input our information, and got that squared away. Then she informed us of all the different specials. We chose a 3 race special which the walk in price is $49, but if you book online I believe they have a buy 2, get 1 free race special for some locations> https://dev.autobahnspeed.com. Also they do give police, fire, military, and teacher discounts! I showed my homeschool teacher verification certificate and bam they applied the discount. After a brief walk thru of the procedures we were ready to race!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLp4N2sYM5suFpho48pRVVQzJvgd2-5AoKGCNflXl6k9IijbR0fN8xnviDi7E2CSL_SMcREENNpmDFVHbLYri5MAlPGmH_reL9FLAJWIRQvRKDgFA6pNQxwXbFe7O1WKwXBxhGBG06wZQVNDXEaX4jVTDD4Jps3pMlVHDSN1HULpdxwUnks3nx-_OXrQ/s3088/0248BEB2-78B3-4DA4-80A5-5C0635D770A8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLp4N2sYM5suFpho48pRVVQzJvgd2-5AoKGCNflXl6k9IijbR0fN8xnviDi7E2CSL_SMcREENNpmDFVHbLYri5MAlPGmH_reL9FLAJWIRQvRKDgFA6pNQxwXbFe7O1WKwXBxhGBG06wZQVNDXEaX4jVTDD4Jps3pMlVHDSN1HULpdxwUnks3nx-_OXrQ/s320/0248BEB2-78B3-4DA4-80A5-5C0635D770A8.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Each race consists of 14 laps! It doesn’t matter what starting position you take because the cars keep up with your speed and position. They start you out a bit slow. I thought man I have this pedal to the metal and it’s not going as fast as they made me believe they could go. Then they opened us up and we started zooming around that track. Once I spun out and blocked the whole track and once moms hand slipped and she crashed dead on into a guardrail. All was fine though because you’re required to wear racing hoods and full blown racing helmets. Mom best my time the first race, but the second race I beat her time. We were worn out after the first two races so we decided to save our third race for another day. Your races never expire so you can always return. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBTh2pBaEu5WDVR2khI5jyIr-mnhFyuZnTwqVB9-fRYPoqOWeEt5tbakt3awpj0cmObvontdLyolIqAbt6o96XXUROIDSIpv5C2jLPerYmRRT-XmwO6Bx4pWM7oqvuSH6dPRszKp0144lo4crMUli9mhwSEPX-V6A1szRBxPacP6Tgg5-xKZMEF4ejw/s4032/1F433F61-E97E-485A-9FA2-BA590AF6B6BC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBTh2pBaEu5WDVR2khI5jyIr-mnhFyuZnTwqVB9-fRYPoqOWeEt5tbakt3awpj0cmObvontdLyolIqAbt6o96XXUROIDSIpv5C2jLPerYmRRT-XmwO6Bx4pWM7oqvuSH6dPRszKp0144lo4crMUli9mhwSEPX-V6A1szRBxPacP6Tgg5-xKZMEF4ejw/s320/1F433F61-E97E-485A-9FA2-BA590AF6B6BC.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6VMbITgiupRnpCXzXMPTwoHDT4nVlXwLYqDlAe4ZKzeuNlKAVRemLBQG8u8iPJmR0MVxufqx9pPmBu-_u-vkEOawS9fNCqKCiN7AFXbyCYsUJ_ehEQX4nUTYA4_6I8MhiPkoZjubcGLLCBiKBx7ffnoSAlPzx3Cr7iNhfvhFOEqsqb0zQ0e5DrgjbQ/s4032/AF355320-EA18-4E22-8B6E-40518B98090E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6VMbITgiupRnpCXzXMPTwoHDT4nVlXwLYqDlAe4ZKzeuNlKAVRemLBQG8u8iPJmR0MVxufqx9pPmBu-_u-vkEOawS9fNCqKCiN7AFXbyCYsUJ_ehEQX4nUTYA4_6I8MhiPkoZjubcGLLCBiKBx7ffnoSAlPzx3Cr7iNhfvhFOEqsqb0zQ0e5DrgjbQ/s320/AF355320-EA18-4E22-8B6E-40518B98090E.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After our race, they offered us a chance to use their Axe throwing lanes. We jumped at that chance! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I scored 2 points out of 5 throws, but Mom couldn’t get any to stick. It’s much harder than it looks! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx3UxZMVTUbAbNPCwU5KRm0mm6eMxlNc0ws-a9LVcVWS9dfjawvkCQtpS92zCZwOSNkfsnnkocqiuDgnWE4-g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We faked out being amazing for a picture through lol. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiHPZDXeTjKizstmR4rccd8rdO9I6VbWRoQO2Jf8rirb1-mFTjffrpyIMmRfsir3L-xzJ5ZEzjkRxyt5TIXDtn9l1mAoNG8upJ24jRL3nRmIiLO0VLXPM087PMtGsBwlQa11FUASsVmkqrD0rPpOcP_VEBLUU1MRgG51u_ERoe3AFwMRZb4hfn3k7iw/s4032/1F183658-7A6E-4F04-ACC9-665CF04335F2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiHPZDXeTjKizstmR4rccd8rdO9I6VbWRoQO2Jf8rirb1-mFTjffrpyIMmRfsir3L-xzJ5ZEzjkRxyt5TIXDtn9l1mAoNG8upJ24jRL3nRmIiLO0VLXPM087PMtGsBwlQa11FUASsVmkqrD0rPpOcP_VEBLUU1MRgG51u_ERoe3AFwMRZb4hfn3k7iw/s320/1F183658-7A6E-4F04-ACC9-665CF04335F2.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYg2TNiiUntMxs5EuiCCZqWmYZBgJbdoyV_33WrTEaUtBCOBK7eEqhxC4rm0HwdyjJ0QLTCycmbGQcYFS35vziedyn-afo3vnjBs7EQWKSD5m5w4fv41vZdjxUYi5B5Sr5705LsvtDpWI_9r-tslN8ph-XGysruhKV0bsOfSeAeiapAUrSPYZNfJJnZg/s4032/E900FBC4-5B8A-4485-93E6-F2669EE8762E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYg2TNiiUntMxs5EuiCCZqWmYZBgJbdoyV_33WrTEaUtBCOBK7eEqhxC4rm0HwdyjJ0QLTCycmbGQcYFS35vziedyn-afo3vnjBs7EQWKSD5m5w4fv41vZdjxUYi5B5Sr5705LsvtDpWI_9r-tslN8ph-XGysruhKV0bsOfSeAeiapAUrSPYZNfJJnZg/s320/E900FBC4-5B8A-4485-93E6-F2669EE8762E.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All in all Autobahn is a really fun (albeit a bit pricey but i get its from an insurance perspective) activity for adults and even older kids. Highly recommend it! We were the only two in the building and those 3 activities took us a little over an hour to complete. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-27900218850088622212022-04-28T21:53:00.005-05:002022-04-29T14:58:55.158-05:00Buy 2, Get 2 FREE Yankee Candle!!!<p> Yankee Candle fans!!! ALLLLL large jars are Buy 2, Get 2 FREE!!!!! What a bargain!!! Thats a $62 savings!!! Makes each Large Jar be only $15.50!!!</p><p>SNAG THIS DEAL HWRE> https://brandcycle.shop/q3ios</p><p>#themostdeals_042822 #themostdeals_homegoods</p><p>Affiliate Link </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQX8u5bTZyVrvDiuzvZdmlWrfGdltpuCqXFIPYpkNCQ5e0Xm8qZ0TpkfxctriUKbG_p5FhxnVfnHdOb5WxmMd6teAZmq8EF2SBGSZZnyIs74fI6F66_Aqrk6ckOEFvAco200wmSxUy51Mx0gi21lcoMiS5yRBh5lJot9BhUMHgIrZqLFRJtm5flQb9A/s1299/1F3A9D02-8148-4187-9195-5D37D90EE1D2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1299" data-original-width="1201" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQX8u5bTZyVrvDiuzvZdmlWrfGdltpuCqXFIPYpkNCQ5e0Xm8qZ0TpkfxctriUKbG_p5FhxnVfnHdOb5WxmMd6teAZmq8EF2SBGSZZnyIs74fI6F66_Aqrk6ckOEFvAco200wmSxUy51Mx0gi21lcoMiS5yRBh5lJot9BhUMHgIrZqLFRJtm5flQb9A/s320/1F3A9D02-8148-4187-9195-5D37D90EE1D2.jpeg" width="296" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-75413526794555171822022-04-28T20:58:00.002-05:002022-05-28T19:37:16.270-05:00BIG Barbie Deal!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjrLTM2GLwWnU4CjdtsvdY2RHn0kOgX_1RS7hyFs-R1iU2HkgJ34nDfZxJNab3HXiifi5a5AS4b3PidjQz5aFt4oHMXnE5Uqb6gtEfGwo6fcezu9aAsjX8zFtVvAHjTELh2VbIq7vVCeqG701tt3Rne8C-ubzNk_Onq9HPm90qROYUx9uX9_WyFfimQ/s4032/A56062A9-7A4B-46CA-8F6C-84F3850247B9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjrLTM2GLwWnU4CjdtsvdY2RHn0kOgX_1RS7hyFs-R1iU2HkgJ34nDfZxJNab3HXiifi5a5AS4b3PidjQz5aFt4oHMXnE5Uqb6gtEfGwo6fcezu9aAsjX8zFtVvAHjTELh2VbIq7vVCeqG701tt3Rne8C-ubzNk_Onq9HPm90qROYUx9uX9_WyFfimQ/s320/A56062A9-7A4B-46CA-8F6C-84F3850247B9.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p>😱😱Did you snag this yet!???? This would make a great birthday gift, great additions to your gift closet, save some for Christmas, and more!!! Snag this AMAZING DEAL!</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3s00Bp7">https://amzn.to/3s00Bp7</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Thank you Becca J for the IRL pic!</p><p>#themostdeals_042822 #themostdeals #themostdeals_Christmasgiftstockup #themostdeals_giftclosetstockup #themostdeals_birthdaygifts #themostdeals_toys</p><p>Affiliate Link </p>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-82172954800174457292022-04-28T20:46:00.003-05:002022-05-28T03:42:05.937-05:00$3.74 Bath Towels!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKlMWrMzRGFbGySG6a9La3WTRLcUtSUrtycVzbDz5sWkT7Q0G_EdqK7n9RkEhQ0SEib3YTsS6GHCbJcDZTrTkRP8LKgM1T_DYjeGmAplm3dfofF9KkeCQUgpoQ9Tm1prScD1XA5XbcSdTj0iFkISo64ZU05XJqTRUFKBaF97sOm1-kKxhPnZK4qmZ4g/s1751/6F141F46-9612-4890-8E3C-9A6063CBCC8C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1639" data-original-width="1751" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKlMWrMzRGFbGySG6a9La3WTRLcUtSUrtycVzbDz5sWkT7Q0G_EdqK7n9RkEhQ0SEib3YTsS6GHCbJcDZTrTkRP8LKgM1T_DYjeGmAplm3dfofF9KkeCQUgpoQ9Tm1prScD1XA5XbcSdTj0iFkISo64ZU05XJqTRUFKBaF97sOm1-kKxhPnZK4qmZ4g/s320/6F141F46-9612-4890-8E3C-9A6063CBCC8C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div>Nothing beats new towels!! Grab these these super popular THE BIG ONES TOWELS from Kohl’s for only $3.74!!! FREE store pickup or FREE ship to home at $50! SNAG SOME HERE> https://brandcycle.shop/tfkwi</div><div><br /></div><div>#themostdeals_042822 #themostdeals #themostdeals_homegoods</div><div>Affiliate Link </div>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-44412800049033410802022-04-28T14:57:00.005-05:002022-05-28T03:41:54.226-05:00Gazebo for only $87.44!!!!<p> Y’all!!! 🔥🔥$87.44!!! FREE SHIPPING!!🔥🔥</p><p>Lots of reviews! Perfect for relaxing by the pool, for the backyard, covering a sandbox, making a sitting area, for a wedding fixture, and more! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ium-PbnfYC2N8GpvI_rSodl2chlAwO9IiSrmqS37FFGq7rftF050fha8hMbq9Pupae-GcDgOErUpIpV_i-SNmpbL_w6zsubbOToXbi1Hbd4m04LaV-pH9RePqJifpb28ZgiUYwHHlG4FGSiA_1tiWvIhHHHedgSjqZ-w_aOTp2_xJO9HjCrwCIkilA/s1170/D19EF354-8578-406B-81CD-1FF7A72255A3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1170" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ium-PbnfYC2N8GpvI_rSodl2chlAwO9IiSrmqS37FFGq7rftF050fha8hMbq9Pupae-GcDgOErUpIpV_i-SNmpbL_w6zsubbOToXbi1Hbd4m04LaV-pH9RePqJifpb28ZgiUYwHHlG4FGSiA_1tiWvIhHHHedgSjqZ-w_aOTp2_xJO9HjCrwCIkilA/s320/D19EF354-8578-406B-81CD-1FF7A72255A3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Grab it now here> https://brandcycle.shop/xov3x</p><p><br /></p><p>#themostdeals_042822 #themostdeals #themostdeals_outdoortoys #themost_sportsandoutdoors #themostdeals_lawnandgarden #themostdeals_pool</p><p>Affiliate Link </p><p><br /></p>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-39229356444808947052022-04-27T11:37:00.004-05:002022-05-28T03:41:36.925-05:00Floating Mat at a bargain price!!<p> It’s WAYDAY! Which means there is LOADS of Wayfair deals today!!! This deal is one I was searching for for a friend!! If you’re in need of a floating mat this 3 layer one looks like a great deal!!! At only $208.99 today it’s the best priced one I can find in this sizing! GRAB THIS DEAL HERE> https://brandcycle.shop/6m6sj</p><p><br /></p><p>#themostdeals_042722 #themostdeals #themost_sportsandoutdoors #themostdeals_outdoortoys #themost_beachgear</p><p>Affiliate Link </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Em3345kgY5gatGdmIZbS2PnA92YxUQvuwLj9uL7t6Tv-2ytF3W885UiaNWfEF-t3BNHyI0VpJYquNKr3SPMzeVVco2s2nHNwtP21-DcF4OlMt3hOKKTgn_lpyIABIsjp9cBuCs21Of0OcY2ML3BTUbiQ7ReswJgDgBcD9e7RHiCjYcTr416OAt4HgQ/s1800/11E34248-23FA-4489-811A-BB89B9FFB3D3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Em3345kgY5gatGdmIZbS2PnA92YxUQvuwLj9uL7t6Tv-2ytF3W885UiaNWfEF-t3BNHyI0VpJYquNKr3SPMzeVVco2s2nHNwtP21-DcF4OlMt3hOKKTgn_lpyIABIsjp9cBuCs21Of0OcY2ML3BTUbiQ7ReswJgDgBcD9e7RHiCjYcTr416OAt4HgQ/s320/11E34248-23FA-4489-811A-BB89B9FFB3D3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-63105422274262916852022-04-27T11:05:00.002-05:002022-04-27T11:23:58.147-05:00AMAZING PRICE!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFriVLlNzjoPi8Ot0YwXLsghs1UFNuR9uE8F7VOu9mbr5-a-EsdO8_QnZauum2B1u5ydGNw3QhnbOP1nFitdMr5Gpzwhq4HiqxmFrKTAAIOJPCCTIG_kqQsYhJ-7czsi_FNbarzZ_rCcKFCY6djCUpjjtVBBYk9Wg1JGOcGWgm0c5DSi0XfI77tDl5w/s1800/18BE9966-CA1F-4D2E-A214-561C5C42697F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1661" data-original-width="1800" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFriVLlNzjoPi8Ot0YwXLsghs1UFNuR9uE8F7VOu9mbr5-a-EsdO8_QnZauum2B1u5ydGNw3QhnbOP1nFitdMr5Gpzwhq4HiqxmFrKTAAIOJPCCTIG_kqQsYhJ-7czsi_FNbarzZ_rCcKFCY6djCUpjjtVBBYk9Wg1JGOcGWgm0c5DSi0XfI77tDl5w/s320/18BE9966-CA1F-4D2E-A214-561C5C42697F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Belk is having some MAJOR sales right now! 50% off select Belk exclusives and just 👀👀 look at the price of these boys tshirts!!! That’s stock up pricing!!! CHECK IT OUT HERE> https://brandcycle.shop/cjzgdj</p><p><br /></p><p>#themostdeals_042722 #themostdeals_belkfinds #themostdeals_boysclothes</p><p>Affiliate Link </p>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-56140396507293382322022-04-26T11:24:00.002-05:002022-04-26T15:46:56.888-05:00CHEAPPPP craft kits!<p> Don’t let boredom set in! Do some crafts this summer! And look how cheap these kits are!!! $2.28 to $2.58 each!!!! 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Today is the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of our EMBRYO TRANSFER that resulted in our beautiful baby boy on June 18, 2015. Many do not understand the journey, so I thought I would post a quick rundown of our infertility journey. It is long, but its condensed as much as possible. I hope that it helps "outsiders" understand the long and painful process and also helps anyone going through it to stay strong. Feel free to ask questions if you'd like.</div>
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I never had cycles really growing up. I got my first period at 16 and had maybe 4 before going on BCPs to regulate it and help with cystic acne. I stayed on BCPs for many years even after getting married in 2006. After we had been married for about 5 years, we felt it was time to start a family. I knew it was probable that I would have trouble getting pregnant, but we had to start somewhere.</div>
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<strong>09/2011</strong>- No more birth control & let's see if I cycles</div>
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<strong>11/2011</strong>- 1st cycle I had on my own without drugs to induce it... since I was 18 (10 years ago!)</div>
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<strong>2011-2012</strong>- I did not have anymore cycles that were not drug induced. Bloodwork was done for me and DH, Semen Analysis was done for DH...all fine. All bloodwork looked normal. It did not show any signs of PCOS.</div>
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<strong>06/2013</strong>- HSG test showed one blocked tube, one open tube. Dye is pushed through a cervical catheter through your ovaries and spills into your uterus. The left side of my body felt like I was having cramps combined with fire. Yes, it felt like a raging fire was ablaze in my left side lady parts. And the HSG pics showed the contrast dye flowing through. The right side...nothing. Blocked. The dye wouldn't go in. Because I had one open tube though, my OB put me on Clomid to hopefully stimulate cycles.</div>
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<strong>08/2013</strong>- Clomid 50mg: O'd late, BFN</div>
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<strong>09/2013</strong>- Clomid 100mg: O'd even later, BFN</div>
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<strong>10/2013</strong>- Clomid 50mg: O'd late, BFN</div>
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<strong>11/2013</strong>- Clomid 50mg: O'd late, BFN</div>
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<strong>12/2013</strong>- Clomid 50mg: O'd really late, BFN</div>
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<strong>02/2014</strong>- Clomid 50mg: O'd late, BFN. That was it. No more clomid. We are put on the fertility doctors 4 month waiting list after an initial consultation....so we begin to pursue adoption.</div>
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<strong>03/2014-</strong> We choose an agency and begin doing our home study packet. Then this happened...</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><strong>03/31/2014-</strong> I went for my personal interview with the social worker. DH and I have to each do one separately for an adoption home study. So I go....and all weekend I had read books and stuff on adopting and parenting and discipline...and I was ready. Then I get there and we're talking and some of the financial information we'd been given before doesn't match up with what she's saying now. It's not a huge deal...it's not a deal breaker....and it's chump change really....but something in me says I need to call DH. So I call DH and explain the situation. He says he feels uneasy with the social worker at this time....and that we need to pray this out. Well, in my heart thats what I felt too....that something just wasn't right....that God had put this roadblock there on purpose. So I canceled the interview, paid her for her time thus far, and went back to work dejected. I felt like this was supposed to be us moving forward.....but it wasn't....and God made that clear. So now we just gotta pray for His guidance. His billboards for our family, if you will. Billboards....I need God-written Billboards. </span></div>
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<strong>04/01/2014</strong>- God works things out. Always. To HIS glory. For HIS good. Sometimes we don't understand the whys? and sometimes He lets us. So after yesterdays derailing of the adoption process, we prayed to God asking for billboards...signs of where our family was supposed to head next. Neither of us received answers right away, but we both had peace. DH randomly told me to call the RE and see if anyone had canceled and if we could be worked in. Well, I had already called once to be put on a waiting list to get back in for another consultation as soon as possible, so I totally didn't wanna bug these people. Well, I get in the car and call my mom....my normal morning routine...and mom can only talk for 5 minutes of my 25 minute drive to work. After I hang up with her I get this thought....call the RE....and the thought doesn't go away....so I call..... and guess what??? They said can you be here at 3pm? 3pm today?!?! </div>
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This consultation I have all kinds of bloodwork and so does DH. I have a vaginal ultrasound that reveals 50+ follicles on my ovaries...so even though my bloodwork didn't show PCOS my ovaries look classic PCOS "like a string of pearls."</div>
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So after lots and lots of discussion with the RE, he said he believes that I am at extremely high risk for hyperstimulation with any kind of assisted reproductive treatment. Various reasons, but mainly because I am young, skinny, and have millions of eggs.....so for those reasons he would not consider Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) for us. He said in his professional opinion we have 2 options:</div>
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<em>#1- Hysteroscopy and Laparoscopy followed by 3 months of Letrozole with timed intercourse</em></div>
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Basically, the hysteroscopy and laparoscopy would be to look for any kind of uterine abnormalities and fix them. The Letrozole works basically like Clomid. After explaining this option, he said that while this was an option that it needed to be seriously considered before undertaking as Laparoscopy is definitely surgery....and no surgery should be taken lightly. He also said if you choose this option, I feel that I will be seeing you back here in 3 months because you're still not pregnant. He explained that my HSG and that fact that one tube was blocked really made him uneasy. He also said that for me taking an ovarian stimulating drug like Clomid or Letrozole can be dangerous because I produce so many eggs already....and then if we were to get pregnant from them I was at a super high risk of multiples. He said twins are fine, but upwards from that is risks that he doesn't like to take....and he said with the amount of eggs I'd be producing I could end up with greater than twins....so he thought this option was probably a waste of time and money, but it was an option.</div>
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<em>#2- SHG and IVF with only frozen transfers</em></div>
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The SHG would be done to get a better look at my uterus since the HSG wasn't a successful glimpse at it. Then if all was well there, then we would proceed with IVF. He said I am at such a high risk for hyperstimulation that he would not do a fresh transfer on me. He said it's rare that he sees someone with such a high risk (every nurse in his place keeps commenting on how many eggs I have). This option he said is best for me because (A) It would bypass my possibly blocked tubes and (B) Less risk overall because they would remove my developed eggs before I ovulated and then return one or two of them after my ovaries calmed back down. He said IVF is overall the safest option for me and probably our best bet of having a biological child.</div>
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We're supposed to call back to start option #1 or option #2....and either way I'll need to take something to start a new cycle to get either option going. So we got a lot to pray about. </div>
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After much prayer, we both feel a peace proceeding forward with option #2 of SHG and IVF. (After having the SHG we learn that was our best option since my good tube wasn't good anymore.)</div>
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<strong>Tuesday, April 29:</strong> Start Birth Control (Apri) I ended up being allergic to this BCP! It caused me to have cystitis like symptoms at all times. It was terrible!</div>
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<strong>Tuesday, May 6:</strong> SHG since by HSG in 2013 was inconclusive. The SHG finds that I have fibroids and I had scarring on what used to be my open tube, so a surgery called a myomectomy was scheduled. The fibroid had grown there in less than a year which means that I should probably be on BCPs when I'm not working on my fertility. My fertility doctor decided I could proceed with the planned IVF schedule immediately after the surgery.</div>
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<strong>Saturday, May 17:</strong> End Birth Control (Apri) Thank goodness! Hopefully no permanent damage done since I was allergic to this!</div>
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<strong>Tuesday, May 20:</strong> Trial Transfer & Injection Training- They practiced the actual embryo transfer on my uterus to make sure it was feasible. Afterwards, I learned to inject a million different needles into my body. I was nervous, but had to become a pro really quick.</div>
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<strong>Wednesday, May 21:</strong> Baseline Ultrasound- This would prove that my ovaries did not have any cysts or follicles and that the lining of my uterus was thin...as both should be at the beginning of a cycle.</div>
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<strong>Thursday, May 22:</strong> Hysteroscopy with Myomectomy- My fertility doctor was able to cut out the fibroid successfully with little damage to my uterus. He also cleaned out my uterus so that I would have the best possible chances for a pregnancy. Here's a picture he took:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqCyv3tcyYY2NMxaOOQR6R-h7RvfYfQyuHDQNzdS8aJGW_wljBSbNxoN5SsMEUDjT_GY-WY6T8ZJqHltrak2QmPhxBKqRRrF9UoHl4P_RMdkQSX_DzHtwgNEv5R91a8-9AVB5BHNm8Zoh/s640/blogger-image--1857179531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqCyv3tcyYY2NMxaOOQR6R-h7RvfYfQyuHDQNzdS8aJGW_wljBSbNxoN5SsMEUDjT_GY-WY6T8ZJqHltrak2QmPhxBKqRRrF9UoHl4P_RMdkQSX_DzHtwgNEv5R91a8-9AVB5BHNm8Zoh/s320/blogger-image--1857179531.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>
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Two days after surgery I began injecting myself with ovarian stimulation drugs to produce lots of quality eggs. Heres a pic of some of my meds:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJWd2weSB6No6p-WugGZP8Slw2__bKeldkYRPiP_GyBQNT3HQtbp4qyKLNr-BcOZNGO37luYQZCv4d0fG5tHrtaIrOWMCIAif0NbuxqCzinpzMomS8XLK1W3kOU6mvQBPIE6LMqc_Zizu/s1600/IMG_0051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJWd2weSB6No6p-WugGZP8Slw2__bKeldkYRPiP_GyBQNT3HQtbp4qyKLNr-BcOZNGO37luYQZCv4d0fG5tHrtaIrOWMCIAif0NbuxqCzinpzMomS8XLK1W3kOU6mvQBPIE6LMqc_Zizu/s400/IMG_0051.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong>Sat, May 24:</strong> Stim Day 1: AM- 75 iu Menopur & PM- 200iu Gonal-F<br />
<strong>Sun, May 25:</strong> Stim Day 2: AM- 75 iu Menopur & PM- 200iu Gonal-F<br />
<strong>Mon, May 26:</strong> Stim Day 3: AM- 75 iu Menopur & PM- 200iu Gonal-F<br />
<strong>Tues, May 27:</strong> Stim Day 4: AM- 75 iu Menopur, go in for bloodwork, & PM- 200iu Gonal-F</div>
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<strong>Wed, May 28:</strong> Stim Day 5: AM- 37.5iu Menopur & PM- 200iu Gonal-F</div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Thurs, May 29:</strong> Stim Day 6: AM- 37.5iu Menopur & go in for blood work and an ultrasound. Take Ganirelix ASAP & continue PM-200iu Gonal-F. </span>Here's pics from the ultrasound:</div>
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2 Views of My Right Ovary Covered in Follicles</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">More Views of My Right Ovary Covered in Follicles...and they are measuring one</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Views of My Left Ovary Covered in Follicles...and they are measuring one</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">2 More Views of My Left Ovary Covered in Follicles...and they are measuring one</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuhH0rO3dAFAXwAMR-MjdF0y5Sh7lFW2-jh9iptbMCPtG5Ii1jy7L5NIJaUTknug8tHaOMKUeVEMRzAyqtc8pDTmog-wbSIi_LXNEs0tT4gqsVA_Y5ZV5VYiJl_1tTKV5Tt1-W4ZA3Z6v/s640/blogger-image-1865736723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuhH0rO3dAFAXwAMR-MjdF0y5Sh7lFW2-jh9iptbMCPtG5Ii1jy7L5NIJaUTknug8tHaOMKUeVEMRzAyqtc8pDTmog-wbSIi_LXNEs0tT4gqsVA_Y5ZV5VYiJl_1tTKV5Tt1-W4ZA3Z6v/s320/blogger-image-1865736723.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's the summary of the 10 she measured....that was all their system would record</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhos7BeOQoeEUPv4tJDCCo7632b1sMKNkyGjJmaOwHyNlcKCISlCuvygpQzOoSupTs3x8Ev9OsehNUId5eWgL1WZsb1HHpTin0YjBnW_gPc6NOtQtc6oQS8WDYlPybCT6FgC-EL3NLlVTHH/s640/blogger-image--2006472566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhos7BeOQoeEUPv4tJDCCo7632b1sMKNkyGjJmaOwHyNlcKCISlCuvygpQzOoSupTs3x8Ev9OsehNUId5eWgL1WZsb1HHpTin0YjBnW_gPc6NOtQtc6oQS8WDYlPybCT6FgC-EL3NLlVTHH/s320/blogger-image--2006472566.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After the ultrasound, I returned to work. A few hours later I received a call from the nurse that I needed to take a Ganielix shot immediately to keep from ovulating....so weird since previously I never ovulated! Sooooo I had to leave work to go get the shot. </div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><strong>Fri, May 30:</strong> Stim Day 7: AM- 37.5iu Menopur & Prefilled Ganirelix & PM- 200iu Gonal-F</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><strong>Sat, May 31:</strong> Stim Day 8: AM- 37.5iu Menopur & Prefilled Ganirelix & go in for blood work and ultrasound & continue PM-200iu Gonal-F. </span>Here's a summary of the follicles that were measured. You can compare to the last summary and see they grew .5-.6 in 48 hours! They warned me that because of the large amount of big follicles I had, I would probably have a lot of fluid retention. They said to drink Gatorade/powerade and eat tons of protein. </div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IiZ69-H3YvfumhKCaBoUPy2e86LMSMVg9RczscPsuVBWmUzOGWNZtqpWWCjXMU5uD9Re1g0JvECqFkxIYbNJ2ERFiYICbbuuo2JuOAJqVoBxREHvKhMs_GJU-nFAq72-iBgatT0cID7_/s640/blogger-image--2092367646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IiZ69-H3YvfumhKCaBoUPy2e86LMSMVg9RczscPsuVBWmUzOGWNZtqpWWCjXMU5uD9Re1g0JvECqFkxIYbNJ2ERFiYICbbuuo2JuOAJqVoBxREHvKhMs_GJU-nFAq72-iBgatT0cID7_/s320/blogger-image--2092367646.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><strong>Sun, June 1:</strong> Stim Day 9: AM- 37.5iu Menopur & Prefilled Ganirelix & go in for blood work & Lupron Trigger @ exactly 8:15pm. That would be the last shot for a little while.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIa_X82vG_LUwLdGp9jaexGvxQ6NraxFn0o4z0VC58v8Sy2d63KISGcw1eZtFnJKuRzQGNWR0qCepgumOLlw07LKAIsD4YXWaeNsx1bPj77MmhzZ9uzBkSRrFEA2NMejDF2hZg4392K9jA/s640/blogger-image-1290640909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIa_X82vG_LUwLdGp9jaexGvxQ6NraxFn0o4z0VC58v8Sy2d63KISGcw1eZtFnJKuRzQGNWR0qCepgumOLlw07LKAIsD4YXWaeNsx1bPj77MmhzZ9uzBkSRrFEA2NMejDF2hZg4392K9jA/s320/blogger-image-1290640909.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Mon, June 2:</strong> Bloodwork and Valium...no eating/drinking after midnight. At this point my ovaries feel like softballs under my skin. You can see how swollen my ovaries had made me...little did I know it was about to get way worse.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNz1DUCMBpb193PfNQNmT05lIlCv3dHBD3e20oSKRoFsYbF8CF-4eWQXfk8P3lHx2XskgbDlIq5IzcfKqoUamJxXpwV8r-Y6yPTsVar8Ba4yPmvVi9M5QmEpZoLbOEoZtQ4hEuhZ3TUKpa/s640/blogger-image--1029610803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNz1DUCMBpb193PfNQNmT05lIlCv3dHBD3e20oSKRoFsYbF8CF-4eWQXfk8P3lHx2XskgbDlIq5IzcfKqoUamJxXpwV8r-Y6yPTsVar8Ba4yPmvVi9M5QmEpZoLbOEoZtQ4hEuhZ3TUKpa/s320/blogger-image--1029610803.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Tues, June 3:</strong> Egg Retrieval @ 8:15am. They would put me under general anesthesia and go through the walls of my vagina to my ovaries and basically suction out each follicle. I had 60 follicles aspirated that day. Here's some pre-surgery pics:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14Yk61qpHVuCHoeIkiP_Qu1ze9DrXIMc8MoJpJN6hc4LTSzNd4pMqp1hE057QKwZfvz63EtencvADbXB7qkd_aXix3y-KYZwxpWnueUtvKvNJwcfJPdHmlQD309Ih5xiUeHZq-p4CVcJJ/s640/blogger-image--944863024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14Yk61qpHVuCHoeIkiP_Qu1ze9DrXIMc8MoJpJN6hc4LTSzNd4pMqp1hE057QKwZfvz63EtencvADbXB7qkd_aXix3y-KYZwxpWnueUtvKvNJwcfJPdHmlQD309Ih5xiUeHZq-p4CVcJJ/s320/blogger-image--944863024.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_35ENTb9c78Pn_ZT4nvtbGxGUGBDHe4tRZ8KCvD1yRATmKYQVn3tU75YwZl83ehns-zc8Wz10qUaIrTJKo_cTa2y345NdzPAWajUrVgqSqor9bL5L7a_qCICLZRwYB2ZwZGLbuCoCKEAB/s640/blogger-image-426310129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_35ENTb9c78Pn_ZT4nvtbGxGUGBDHe4tRZ8KCvD1yRATmKYQVn3tU75YwZl83ehns-zc8Wz10qUaIrTJKo_cTa2y345NdzPAWajUrVgqSqor9bL5L7a_qCICLZRwYB2ZwZGLbuCoCKEAB/s320/blogger-image-426310129.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><strong>Wed, June 4:</strong> Begin Prometrium. Egg update: Out of the 60 follicles aspirated, only 40 had viable eggs. Out of those 40 only 21 eggs were mature enough. This was a terrible maturation rate, so I'm assuming PCOS was hard on my eggs too. BUT, we had a high fertilization rate!!! Because of the 21 matured eggs, sperm had fertilized 20 of them!! God is soooooo good!! We had embryos! Some people do all this and get NO embryos! Now Dustin had something called Testicular Torsion as a child and although he had been tested a ton of times, the doc recommended my eggs undergo ICSI for a better fertilization rate. That seems like that was true since all but one fertilized. With ICSI (pronounced ick-say) the sperm collected and washed. Then only the strongest sperm are injected into the egg. Also, here's what my one day post surgery ovaries and belly looked like:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPW7RaLonbped9sL6YMS5YPZ5IbF_klWSwn3lAHU_P5e0L7kg2F-WTzwPSaQ-RyFn12z8eaK-xnagvEADH5YedZTAJh1hS3-JzcH6hv76jxchLibUx3PXMxXFxm9LgPOckhzA_VONpIvMB/s640/blogger-image-1323561588.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPW7RaLonbped9sL6YMS5YPZ5IbF_klWSwn3lAHU_P5e0L7kg2F-WTzwPSaQ-RyFn12z8eaK-xnagvEADH5YedZTAJh1hS3-JzcH6hv76jxchLibUx3PXMxXFxm9LgPOckhzA_VONpIvMB/s320/blogger-image-1323561588.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I had gained 3 lbs of water weight over night and couldn't walk on my own. The doc gave me pain meds and I have definitely been taking them. They told me to quit drinking water also and don't eat anything except protein. If I go over 5 lbs of fluid retention they want me to check into the hospital.</div>
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<strong>Thurs, June 5:</strong> Embryo update: We currently have 13 Grade A or B+ that are already 4-5 cells each AND 7 Grade B!!! Yay! So all 20 are growing. The embryologist said that they will not have another update for us until Monday morning. This is because they want to minimize the times they take them out of the incubator. Monday morning, though, they will know how many made it to the blastocyst stage and froze. Our REs office uses vitrification for freezing, so they estimate the most blastocysts will freeze....and they generally only freeze blastocysts.</div>
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And I went up to 7lbs of water weight, so if it doesn't go down in the morning, I guess I'm headed in. Here's a pic of this cruel trick. I look 6 months pregnant.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_L_Y1TPS1xzrZvnLUF9J_yhxW_ZivXB9wsgSbcdt5Gy-ttQSj2iiG_nymXYfxSXUqyfnCQiMEVB8gskDwIBsLBv2ho8JTlvcf0WF7X6XXCDQc9laksfscASi2-gbm43oXbH15I67EeRg/s640/blogger-image-1015160209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_L_Y1TPS1xzrZvnLUF9J_yhxW_ZivXB9wsgSbcdt5Gy-ttQSj2iiG_nymXYfxSXUqyfnCQiMEVB8gskDwIBsLBv2ho8JTlvcf0WF7X6XXCDQc9laksfscASi2-gbm43oXbH15I67EeRg/s320/blogger-image-1015160209.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Mon, June 9:</strong> Final embryo update- The embryologist called to tell me very excitedly "Mrs Sarah it's good news for you!" TEN, as in 1-0, MADE IT TO THE BLASTOCYST STAGE AND FROZE!!! Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow! I am so overwhelmed with happiness right now. Ten viable little chances! Thank you Lord for taking care of them and please continue to watch over them.</div>
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Now normally, 5 days after egg retrieval you would have an embryo transfer. However, because of the surgery I had and the fact that I had SO MUCH water retention, I would not be able to complete the cycle with a transfer to try for a baby. I knew all this going in, but it was still hard to go through all this without even a chance. I was mentally and emotionally spent....not to even mention financially. We had to take a vacay for a few days for me to clear my head or I may have had a nervous breakdown. The doctor wanted me to use BCPs to force two more cycles before we could try. </div>
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<strong>Fri, June 13:</strong> End Prometrium</div>
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<strong>Sun, June 15:</strong> Start Birth Control (Azurette)</div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Sat, July 5:</strong> Last Birth Control (Azurette)<br /><strong>Tues, July 8:</strong> Started Menstrual Cycle<br /><strong>Thurs, July 10:</strong> Begin Birth Control (Azurette)<br /><strong>Sat, July 19:</strong> End Birth Control (Azurette)<br /><strong>Tues, July 22:</strong> Started Menstrual Cycle (I didn't realize this would happen.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><strong>Thurs, July 24:</strong> Bloodwork & start Lupron 5 units in the PM- I had to start giving myself shots again to simulate a full cycle and prepare my endometrium lining. Continue this until I'm told to stop.<br /><strong>Fri, July 25:</strong> Start 2 mg Estrogen tablets vaginally twice daily. Continue this until I'm told to stop. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Possible transfer is the week of August 11th.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Thurs, Aug 7:</strong> Bloodwork & Ultrasound: lining at a 7, so transfer is postponed until the next week. I continue on with Lupron shots and estrogen tablets.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Fri, Aug 15:</strong> Bloodwork & Ultrasound, lining is still at a 7, so add extra 2mg of Estrogen daily</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Sun, Aug 17:</strong> Bloodwork & Ultrasound, lining still at 7, Fluid in Uterus, & Estrogen Dropping. This happened all on DH's birthday. I was soooo distraught by all this I even forgot it was his birthday. My doctor didn't make this decision as he wasn't the one on call, but another doc called to tell me to end Lupron and the vaginal Estrogen. He was <strong>CANCELLING</strong> my transfer. That I would need to set up again and maybe try a different protocol. I LOST it. I cried my head off. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://www.christianbook.com/baby-hunger-beth-forbus/9781594671517/pd/671510" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://g.christianbook.com/dg/product/ingram/w185/671510.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also I began going to a miscarriage and infertility support group. We're reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594671516/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1594671516&linkCode=as2&tag=simpl05e-20&linkId=YDVDPXWIZKFKXFRK">Baby Hunger</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=simpl05e-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1594671516" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Beth Forbus. This weeks chapters were on Elizabeth and Zacharias. They didnt get pregnant right away...nor pregnant in their youth. The book says </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"He knows that child. He knew us, he had plans for us. If He has holy appointments laid out for our lives long before the first cells ever begin to divide, don't you think He knows exactly when our lives on earth should begin?</span></div>
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What if we had the authority to grant pregnancy whenever we wanted it? We might miss out on the plan of God appointed to each person before they are even born. There could be no greater tragedy."<br />
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This just stuck out to me so much. I mean if I was in control, I would ruin that child's life before it ever even happened on earth! Of course, I don't want that for my child. Of course, I want God's perfect timing. But just the mere fact that if <i>I</i> was in control, <i>I </i>would choose pregnancy, and therefore <i>I</i> would ruin their earthly life....and if I've ruined their earthly life then <i>I</i> could've affect their eternal life also. Wow. That's an amazing responsibility to decide when to create a life! I do not want that responsibility. I <i>WANT</i> God to make those decisions!</div>
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<strong>Sun, Aug 17:</strong> Begin Provera</div>
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<strong>Tues, Aug 26:</strong> End Provera</div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Wed, Aug 27:</strong> Started Mentsrual Cycle</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Fri, Aug 29:</strong> Start Birth Control (Azurette)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Sat, Sept 13:</strong> End Birth Control (Azurette)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Wed, Sept 17:</strong> Bloodwork. Blood work showed I was healthy again!! And ready to try to set up again! Here's all the new meds for setting up for a transfer.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYIPqt7_Cbeh49Lmo6bQIWbIko0Fzip3gM_Xem1wLvrU1FD3EeyY0X-qhiC1oPZkJyv15kl2luW7mfr-NvHg2B0xwmAoFG5qWWfiph61T60ifsAtuDXH8mE3US8MMcKg95aG9NcQgRRMOp/s640/blogger-image--285287527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYIPqt7_Cbeh49Lmo6bQIWbIko0Fzip3gM_Xem1wLvrU1FD3EeyY0X-qhiC1oPZkJyv15kl2luW7mfr-NvHg2B0xwmAoFG5qWWfiph61T60ifsAtuDXH8mE3US8MMcKg95aG9NcQgRRMOp/s320/blogger-image--285287527.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Thurs, Sept 18:</strong> Begin 5 units of Lupron Daily in the PM daily until told to stop!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Fri, Sept 19:</strong> Apply 2 Vivelle Estrogen .1 patches- rather than the estrogen tablets my doc put patches used for hormone replacement therapy in my protocol. They were expensive, but what isn't in infertility!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Mon, Sept 22:</strong> Apply 2 Vivelle Estrogen .1 patches We decided to add to the protocol and go on a cruise to keep my stress level at a minimum. This meant all the patches and shots had to be done onboard!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Wed, Sept 24:</strong> Apply 2 Vivelle Estrogen .1 patches</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Fri, Sept 26:</strong> Apply 6 Vivelle Estrogen .1 patches</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Sun, Sept 28:</strong> Apply 6 Vivelle Estrogen .1 patches. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Tues, Sept 30:</strong> Apply 8 Vivelle Estrogen .1 patches. This is what 8 patches and shots looked like. You can see how irritated my skin was and the little and big bruises I had everywhere.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOp37597lZVQT-RZJC7EF9NxlF-PhSHkMePFam8wzkINaWgJmAuZiLuQ18hHrQ0IVe1a6hJTuJjtRJOL8SvTMV5XPB9ecRMwyFtiz3PP4Wpb-U4PBFGcQqXkTJ4037BnUWBOh3XIsyTh9/s640/blogger-image--554421029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOp37597lZVQT-RZJC7EF9NxlF-PhSHkMePFam8wzkINaWgJmAuZiLuQ18hHrQ0IVe1a6hJTuJjtRJOL8SvTMV5XPB9ecRMwyFtiz3PP4Wpb-U4PBFGcQqXkTJ4037BnUWBOh3XIsyTh9/s320/blogger-image--554421029.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Thurs, Oct 2:</strong> Bloodwork & Ultrasound, lining at a 8.44!!! THANK YOU LORD! Here's a picture of the ultrasound showing my beautiful lining!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWb_Z1kpznAidJzs4vBmVLt9ITKGGV0pobPE75d1VHFIdMH_BFTkZ0hrJfd-LLJxDc2lwDfvz6ZmXviaqfRArRnB0j1y6MGYTmvJx6n30WGcjAlHO8-24aADKw6TVJ1tr93mVHXQpJBD1Y/s640/blogger-image--2099475486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWb_Z1kpznAidJzs4vBmVLt9ITKGGV0pobPE75d1VHFIdMH_BFTkZ0hrJfd-LLJxDc2lwDfvz6ZmXviaqfRArRnB0j1y6MGYTmvJx6n30WGcjAlHO8-24aADKw6TVJ1tr93mVHXQpJBD1Y/s640/blogger-image--2099475486.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<strong>Thurs, Oct 2:</strong> Apply 4 Vivelle Estrogen Patches, take Doxycycline, continue 5 units of Lupron shots, and add .75ml Progesterone in Ethyl Oleate intramuscular shot (gasp!)</div>
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<strong>Friday, Oct 3 AM:</strong> take Doxycycline and take 3 Prednisone</div>
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<strong>Friday, Oct 3 PM:</strong> take Doxycycline, 5 units of Lupron shots,& .75ml Progesterone in Ethyl Oleate</div>
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<strong>Sat, Oct 4 AM:</strong> take Doxycycline and take 3 Prednisone</div>
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<strong>Sat, Oct 4 PM:</strong> take Doxycycline, 5 units of Lupron shots,& .75ml Progesterone in Ethyl Oleate</div>
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<strong>Sun, Oct 5 AM:</strong> take Doxycycline and take 3 Prednisone</div>
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<strong>Sun, Oct 5 PM:</strong> take Doxycycline, 5 units of Lupron shots,& .75ml Progesterone in Ethyl Oleate</div>
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<strong>Mon, Oct 6 AM:</strong> take Doxycycline and take 3 Prednisone</div>
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<strong>Mon, Oct 6 PM:</strong> take Doxycycline, 5 units of Lupron shots,& .75ml Progesterone in Ethyl Oleate</div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Tue, Oct 7:</strong> Transfer Day!!</span><br />
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Our embryos were frozen in pairs, and we did not want to waste one...so we were prepared to put back 1 or 2. Well, when the day came, the embryologist thawed a straw with a pair in it. He said both embryos started growing and hatching again, and were perfect quality....so by the time I got to the surgery center he had already refrozen one. Thank you God for taking that decision out of our hands and off our minds! He gave us a picture of our 5 day old embryo prior to transferring it to my uterus.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhQPbEekwVNDzHDI6jfw9Rfon9SyFuuBwVGJH0OfbCtdkTpC2uinXhWMgSBDvXIhmVz-9WiLsDGU1lgZobRQo7GGUcQkRKPlcdn0THHbkc1XOMc2oxKx7CHL1L1ezRKPbg-XFG6Vsvbzr/s640/blogger-image--634578070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSxJ1qToDSGxHM-Yz91uOOiNWkA8_FD6iPeO7x3ACpVtyXpIAZeoZg6_hxQuHv-tS-dSZXAcR0QozUCccMwHs1SBOda4A6RIt_8vOFkYJ8o8wjLVbfNn7pBLxr6M3MNIOBDmxmXLgKelA/s1600/blogger-image--634578070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSxJ1qToDSGxHM-Yz91uOOiNWkA8_FD6iPeO7x3ACpVtyXpIAZeoZg6_hxQuHv-tS-dSZXAcR0QozUCccMwHs1SBOda4A6RIt_8vOFkYJ8o8wjLVbfNn7pBLxr6M3MNIOBDmxmXLgKelA/s400/blogger-image--634578070.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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DH is allowed to go into the surgery room with me. I am not put to sleep for this. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitK2n8_IpnJR-TorSnrC_kqmUj8yMLi-dCMwUmPW58_lk93Kf5lSgRRbZBWEEJ_p2pP76PayVVI5FohSoOnda43nFLf-XRo3sKtRFu6MqRwywBY6l40wEnJa2BDW1MNXsjekmv21FFsrM/s640/blogger-image--1212742084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitK2n8_IpnJR-TorSnrC_kqmUj8yMLi-dCMwUmPW58_lk93Kf5lSgRRbZBWEEJ_p2pP76PayVVI5FohSoOnda43nFLf-XRo3sKtRFu6MqRwywBY6l40wEnJa2BDW1MNXsjekmv21FFsrM/s640/blogger-image--1212742084.jpg" /></a></div>
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The doctor actually talked us through the procedure and we watch it on the ultrasound monitor. He actually let DH video the screen. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9r-6fKUcoBI8YPa739L5U0rz5b5YhyJDu18yFJcvR4lgIYlDxwsBVigHfPmRQXfE5dhPgbtxYVMVhETE5z7RwFi3E_Lp79_a-YDUHq-xhOtXHrUjtKFnuys0bDMm6xYk3zF326RSeK3Xd/s640/blogger-image-614562386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9r-6fKUcoBI8YPa739L5U0rz5b5YhyJDu18yFJcvR4lgIYlDxwsBVigHfPmRQXfE5dhPgbtxYVMVhETE5z7RwFi3E_Lp79_a-YDUHq-xhOtXHrUjtKFnuys0bDMm6xYk3zF326RSeK3Xd/s320/blogger-image-614562386.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Afterwards I had to lay flat with my uterus tilted for an hour...and then use the restroom there....and then go home and rest for several days. My fertility doctor tells me it's up to God. I begin the longest wait of my life.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRa58WU4kp90TM3yo1s3i-IF2dwKc71v9PBbxJqdPLktLNLNK7an64HC_Y95qtCeByH4b8c6PxmJ9zUF8USaE2fo9-3AcfPdxadjhk6-XedwNEbuXjoDeq1PsqHmiEKD1FilLH5ZzR5VT2/s640/blogger-image--682577737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRa58WU4kp90TM3yo1s3i-IF2dwKc71v9PBbxJqdPLktLNLNK7an64HC_Y95qtCeByH4b8c6PxmJ9zUF8USaE2fo9-3AcfPdxadjhk6-XedwNEbuXjoDeq1PsqHmiEKD1FilLH5ZzR5VT2/s320/blogger-image--682577737.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Sun, Oct 12: </strong>I just know. I feel it. I know God has performed a miracle within me. I took a test. Two lines! I took tons more...I had a blood test. And we of course continued praying for the little life within me. </div>
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We had no clue whether it was one little life or two or three. We had no clue whether the little life or lives would be boy or girl. The only thing we knew is that we loved the little already.</div>
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One day, I will continue the story...</div>
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Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-2527840395226654732015-06-25T13:22:00.001-05:002015-06-25T22:24:10.647-05:00I'm back and I brought someone new...<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It's been over a year since my last post. Not because I haven't been doing projects and not because I haven't been writing...it's because we did IVF and by Gods grace got pregnant and had a sweet baby 7 days ago. I had a private blog I kept during the IVF and his transfer that I will either open or copy to here....and I will begin journaling our days here. I did make a pregnancy journal of sorts for him too that will eventually post. I will still post projects ( like the things I made for his room!!) here but at the advice of a friend (Susan!!) I will also start sharing life. </span><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So here we go...</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This morning was the first morning that Sophie was home and Mr. T was home! It's gonna take sone getting used to, for sure, but Sophie seems to be okay with him so far. Of course, she's still tired from staying at my parents while we were in the hospital. Here's a pic taken while I was feeding T. See she looks happy here doesn't she!?</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xJD0pchp07L78Qo-I7bYK8UeBNK3ANEEYz8sv8EH5r71QtjrFvy3tyuMzhX32hOdxfeC1XwbvMhzl-wnD1Vlaz0X-0m_D0SzSHQu6jg9WnPJsWKaVvQ9YXohcPGquxlS-G8lbBX3eMud/s640/blogger-image--1720158294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xJD0pchp07L78Qo-I7bYK8UeBNK3ANEEYz8sv8EH5r71QtjrFvy3tyuMzhX32hOdxfeC1XwbvMhzl-wnD1Vlaz0X-0m_D0SzSHQu6jg9WnPJsWKaVvQ9YXohcPGquxlS-G8lbBX3eMud/s640/blogger-image--1720158294.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mr. T has only been home from the NICU for one day and it was already time to get him out again....and boy he was awake for the ride. </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxWhGGinUnqnI3pHh6EyW7kaeT-M1YwcFEsCHLHGwhwGqy9Li6dFjo9599_ILIs1T8efatC1EyvpvPhMpIvaAPgqkgzWSHx3b6qR2f1D5zshT3jvsGdrWC3NIXXtmFUAo8D_Qv7tIucnA/s640/blogger-image--1920350922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxWhGGinUnqnI3pHh6EyW7kaeT-M1YwcFEsCHLHGwhwGqy9Li6dFjo9599_ILIs1T8efatC1EyvpvPhMpIvaAPgqkgzWSHx3b6qR2f1D5zshT3jvsGdrWC3NIXXtmFUAo8D_Qv7tIucnA/s640/blogger-image--1920350922.jpg"></a></div><br></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The reason for our venture out is for his newborn pictures! Yep, he was originally scheduled got Tuesday, but because of the NICU stay it had to be put off...but we still want them done while he's newborn wrinkly, so today the day. Mama and T didn't even leave the walls of the hospital from his birth (6/18 @12:15pm) til his release from the NICU (6/23 @ noon)... And since then we've not left the walls of our house...so this is an adventure!</span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DNLzRKGJ8O5Nk6iAfPHuWCEl1ebSQkm6K_qbVCoYSFNGm2VcpDb0fWZa9zLDJqvkZDYX43vxdzaDf0QpKQCGEpEf3ixWh8ctx8H3I56v2UtW4-PeCS8P1tsTNxPHT0Q34iDitWIkbvHS/s640/blogger-image--151799170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DNLzRKGJ8O5Nk6iAfPHuWCEl1ebSQkm6K_qbVCoYSFNGm2VcpDb0fWZa9zLDJqvkZDYX43vxdzaDf0QpKQCGEpEf3ixWh8ctx8H3I56v2UtW4-PeCS8P1tsTNxPHT0Q34iDitWIkbvHS/s640/blogger-image--151799170.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Well after 2 hours being at the photographers studio he has eaten 2oz of breastmilk, got a 15 minute case of hiccups, ate 2 oz of formula, pooped and peed on the photographers wraps, and pooped and peed on mom, but we've yet to get a picture til JUST now.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RYr8dB4CbkrihbAJ4J6EqXJtIs3O2sw5T2loCCCf15X7tVMk4uOla35hz9jOkhmk9J-8QcdMD8UPG25WpmJ7uigvhy_kLXvHLhrWPwRluQTYykbh0lEkNc2OS5Eoyl6V25Dt_SVJ3bvb/s640/blogger-image-1207621350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RYr8dB4CbkrihbAJ4J6EqXJtIs3O2sw5T2loCCCf15X7tVMk4uOla35hz9jOkhmk9J-8QcdMD8UPG25WpmJ7uigvhy_kLXvHLhrWPwRluQTYykbh0lEkNc2OS5Eoyl6V25Dt_SVJ3bvb/s640/blogger-image-1207621350.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">At the end of his session, we had nakey pics with mom and dad...well, when they did dad and T pictures, T ended up projectile pooping and peeing! Heehee!</div><div><br></div><div>The photographer asked if we wanted his stork bites edited out. My gut reaction says no. They are a part of my beautiful babe. Apparently only one or two other people have left them and she's photographed hundreds of babies. Sigh! What to do.</div><div><br></div><div>We are adjusting to life as a family of 3 with a pup about as well as can be expected. I love the mama life so far! Of course, that may change when D goes back to work. The biggest concern right now I have with Mr. T is this breastfeeding business. Mr. T pretty much hates nursing. He will only really truly nurse well once a day when he's really sleepy and he will only do that til he realizes it's the breast not the bottle. Additionally he only gets about 12 hours of sleep when breastfeeding because he's so hangry and lazy. There's reasons why breastfeeding is best, and I always pictured breastfeeding til he's a year old....but it doesn't mean breastfeeding is what is best for him. I will do a whole post on him and his NICU stay and breastfeeding and bottle feeding and formula at some point. But either way, I'm doing what my mama gut tells me to each time I feed him (and each meal can be and usually is different!) and then we will talk it through with the pediatrician on Monday. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-26578528873819936542014-01-13T09:57:00.001-06:002022-05-28T19:39:35.370-05:00DIY Pottery Barn inspired Entryway Bench- My 2nd Ana White Plan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So in my <a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/12/extra-bedroom-closet-overhaul-phase-4.html">post about the finishing off the shelves in the closet</a>, I had a picture that showed one of my other recent DIY items...an entryway bench!!! And here she is basking in the afternoon sunlight...</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s5g1iZ4Votg/UsRrGcAEoqI/AAAAAAAABzY/4dGrADzKezs/s1600/IMG_7869.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s5g1iZ4Votg/UsRrGcAEoqI/AAAAAAAABzY/4dGrADzKezs/s1600/IMG_7869.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is made from another <a href="http://ana-white.com/">Ana White</a> plan, the "<a href="http://ana-white.com/2010/01/plans-rustic-bench-pottery-barn.html">Large Rustic X Bench</a>" plan to be exact. See, I have always been in love with this plain, yet easy to personalize entry from Pottery Barn's website.</div>
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<a href="http://rk.pbimgs.com/pbimgs/rk/images/dp/wcm/201348/0106/img87c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="574" src="http://rk.pbimgs.com/pbimgs/rk/images/dp/wcm/201348/0106/img87c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(picture source: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiA6oiDd1jPMcpsdqVNMLfyFEIts2gEaYSs_6CY5coTtHRrR22oDutmgwkx1HBxz_MWTRQzIUL08WeCjCmXsAADuTfe4NCh1geT7OIDiRgDiAE1eNNQLnKQ7ghmTP59nxrJl0Wa_8mSgzElNGBC8vHASKPz8r9C5EWOa-yhWRP6CiD5eA=">Pottery Barn</a>)</span></div>
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So you know Pottery Barn's benches are somewhere around $500....and I personally don't wanna spend that kinda dough on a bench that will be more of a decorative item....or any bench for that matter. I decided this would be another fun woodworking project....and an excuse to buy a jig saw. I mean a project is a total win if you get to use power tools, right!!! Who's with me?? Ok, anyways...After doing my research and weighing price versus quality, I landed on the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JJD0Y4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001JJD0Y4&linkCode=as2&tag=simpl05e-20">Black & Decker Smart Selections Jig Saw</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=simpl05e-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001JJD0Y4" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> and a set of high quality <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000TZZVA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0000TZZVA&linkCode=as2&tag=simpl05e-20">Bosch T-Shank Blades</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=simpl05e-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0000TZZVA" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />. (PS I've used this thing so many times now....and I love it!)<br />
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I won't go into the details of the plan since Ana White lays them out plain and simple for you <a href="http://ana-white.com/2010/01/plans-rustic-bench-pottery-barn.html">HERE</a>, but I will show you a pic I took during the "tricky" step #4. <br />
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Per Ana's website, "<span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #505252; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">What you will need to do on the end cut at two different angles, is first mark out the 60 degree angle from the top corner (when imagining the board in place on the bench). Also mark and cut the bottom angle. Then cut these angles and fit on the bench. Center the bottom on the stretcher. Then mark off where the top overhangs the top of the bench and clip off. This cut does not have to be perfect – you will just need to make sure it sits lower than the top of the bench." </span>So using a protractor, I marked my angles. Then I rigged the board on my miter saw. See the pic below...I have the board clamped onto the front of my miter saw. I couldn't figure it out otherwise. Either way this worked.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3tuLgVq2H3o/UsRokgLulmI/AAAAAAAAByc/3mAhczXB0dw/s1600/IMG_1200a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3tuLgVq2H3o/UsRokgLulmI/AAAAAAAAByc/3mAhczXB0dw/s1600/IMG_1200a.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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And here is my bench after Step #6 before I attached the leg pieces or the bench top. This lets you see where all I put the pocket holes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FoMUvX8LDpawVcZcdthi9YF4fr0WhLDEp3aBa_jmr_gOJ0Scz2I1vWbj03FZ1ehBEyV_ekQhdwbvfblkSkYjnouZjYyHbdMzwGqoHJXoDywLYMis458G35xkE5irzNlFoQePsY0sP5EE/s1600/IMG_1204a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FoMUvX8LDpawVcZcdthi9YF4fr0WhLDEp3aBa_jmr_gOJ0Scz2I1vWbj03FZ1ehBEyV_ekQhdwbvfblkSkYjnouZjYyHbdMzwGqoHJXoDywLYMis458G35xkE5irzNlFoQePsY0sP5EE/s1600/IMG_1204a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And here's a look at it before any sanding or wood filler.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgbjzOFra2E/UsRok-2XGkI/AAAAAAAAByg/gmbvpLhLdbc/s1600/IMG_1203a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgbjzOFra2E/UsRok-2XGkI/AAAAAAAAByg/gmbvpLhLdbc/s1600/IMG_1203a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After filling all the pocket holes and anywhere "wood meets wood" with wood filler, I sanded down the whole sha-bang with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007XXHGO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0007XXHGO&linkCode=as2&tag=simpl05e-20">my sander</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=simpl05e-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0007XXHGO" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />. I also used the sander to round off the edges to keep things from looking sharp (I thought about routing it, but I couldn't justify buying another power tool for a bench). And that wonderful little sander was also used to put some character notches into the wood. This will keep it from looking extra new.<br />
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I then put a coat of LowVOC Kilz primer on it. And lightly hand sanded it again.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7h63wbLXG-Y/UkdFpyFhvmI/AAAAAAAABsY/C3drMILimhU/s1600/IMG_1767.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7h63wbLXG-Y/UkdFpyFhvmI/AAAAAAAABsY/C3drMILimhU/s1600/IMG_1767.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A few coats of <a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_46305-4-410.0065049.005_0__?productId=3158885&Ntt=satin+black+paint&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dsatin%2Bblack%2Bpaint&facetInfo=">Satin Black Enamel Paint</a> and a coat of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C02AO2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000C02AO2&linkCode=as2&tag=simpl05e-20">Minwax's Satin Polycrylic</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=simpl05e-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000C02AO2" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />....because both of those I already had on hand.....and then called her complete.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s5g1iZ4Votg/UsRrGcAEoqI/AAAAAAAABzY/4dGrADzKezs/s1600/IMG_7869.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s5g1iZ4Votg/UsRrGcAEoqI/AAAAAAAABzY/4dGrADzKezs/s1600/IMG_7869.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BNM5l0eU8dU/UsRrC7SZoaI/AAAAAAAABzI/Yc65edydxl4/s1600/IMG_7866a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BNM5l0eU8dU/UsRrC7SZoaI/AAAAAAAABzI/Yc65edydxl4/s1600/IMG_7866a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here it is in my entryway....and one day maybe it will look like the Pottery Barn inspiration pic....when I get brave enough to put that amount of holes in the wall around this.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eC1-RQXLd6Q/UsRrEWSyNHI/AAAAAAAABzQ/d1Mc6P93ydg/s1600/IMG_7870.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eC1-RQXLd6Q/UsRrEWSyNHI/AAAAAAAABzQ/d1Mc6P93ydg/s1600/IMG_7870.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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For now, I am happy with this....blank entry walls and all. I mean progress is progress, right??? No matter how long it takes to get there.<br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">Linking Up to the following parties:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/" style="color: #999999; line-height: 21.465600967407227px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">SugarBeeCrafts- Take a Look Tuesdays</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: 21.465600967407227px;"><a href="http://www.craftyconfessions.com/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">Crafty Confessions- Confessional Tuesdays</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: 21.465600967407227px;"><a href="http://www.mabeyshemadeit.com/">Mabey She Made It- Do Tell Tuesdays</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: 21.465600967407227px;"><a href="http://www.thethriftyhome.com/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">The Thrifty Home- Penny Pinchin Party </a></span><br />
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<!--Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Frk.pbimgs.com%2Fpbimgs%2Frk%2Fimages%2Fdp%2Fwcm%2F201348%2F0106%2Fimg87c.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiA6oiDd1jPMcpsdqVNMLfyFEIts2gEaYSs_6CY5coTtHRrR22oDutmgwkx1HBxz_MWTRQzIUL08WeCjCmXsAADuTfe4NCh1geT7OIDiRgDiAE1eNNQLnKQ7ghmTP59nxrJl0Wa_8mSgzElNGBC8vHASKPz8r9C5EWOa-yhWRP6CiD5eA="-->Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-19986540065206788072013-12-20T08:00:00.001-06:002022-05-28T19:40:30.376-05:00Extra Bedroom On Suite Updates<div style="text-align: justify;">
Remember how I said in my previous posts on the extra bedroom closet that we were gonna have a guest stay and use the whole the suite for a week. Well, that meant more than just the closet needed some help. The bathroom needed some help too. It HAD to have a shower curtain. Showering without a curtain would equal disaster....plus that would just be weird. Also, it needed some cozy-ing up. A few touches....now I didn't wanna go over the top. This is an extra bedroom that I hope one day is a child's room....so I just want things that are usable in the long run (and I'm cheap...nuff said). Here's a quick pic of it before I hung the curtain rod:</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vjKbSrofM7c/UPM_nvAKbyI/AAAAAAAABL4/4VDjR1Xrpu0/s1600/IMG_7098.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vjKbSrofM7c/UPM_nvAKbyI/AAAAAAAABL4/4VDjR1Xrpu0/s640/IMG_7098.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I decided since this is hopefully to be a child's room at some point that I did not want a tension shower rod. I mean I can just imagine how many times a tension rod could be pulled down over the course of a kids life....and I wanted to go ahead and prevent any future gooseeggs gotten in a tension rod incident. Plus I love poles...<a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/05/i-like-pole-jobs-better-pendant-lights.html">remember</a>! But do you know how hard it is to find a solid rod with shower rod flanges!? I couldn't find them at Lowe's or Home Depot in store. Here's what I ended up getting:</div>
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I grabbed <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202838983?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=202838983&R=202838983#">this rod</a> from Home Depot.com.</div>
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<img height="400" src="http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/1000/76/762f561a-acd1-47ca-9d50-c325778859e8_1000.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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The rod actually came with flanges, but they were plastic and were not the kind you screw into the wall. Instead they had rubber end caps that made your solid rod fit more like a tension rod. What's the point in that? I mean really...if I am gonna go through the trouble to but a shower curtain rod from Home Depot and not somewhere that carries fancy, schmancy ones then I am most definitely screwing this puppy to the wall. </div>
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so I snagged <a href="http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10051&langId=-1&productId=3468339&partNumber=195291-73838-310-PN&storeId=10151&N=0">these flanges</a> from Lowes.com.</div>
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<a href="http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10051&langId=-1&productId=3468339&partNumber=195291-73838-310-PN&storeId=10151&N=0"><img alt="Barclay 2-Pack Polished Nickel Flanges" src="http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/028553/028553081215lg.jpg" /></a></div>
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Perfect fit for the pole!<br />
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It was also really hard to find a shower curtain that I liked....that was long enough really. I mean I am "Sarah Plain and Short" why are all shower curtains made froo-froo or doo-doo!? Really, they either have frills and ruffles or they are like PVC crappy stuffs. Anyhow, I LOVE the shower curtain I ended up getting. It's a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ALRSYSM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00ALRSYSM&linkCode=as2&tag=simpl05e-20">Hookless White Waffle 86 inch length Shower Curtain</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=simpl05e-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00ALRSYSM" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> and fits the space and my personality. It has a snap on liner that can be thrown in the wash without removing the whole curtain! Score for easy-peasyness!</div>
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So here's how we went about business:</div>
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#1- Measured the distance and used a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009CMV9D4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009CMV9D4&linkCode=as2&tag=simpl05e-20">Hacksaw</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=simpl05e-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B009CMV9D4" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />
to cut the pole the appropriate distance.<br />
#2- Based on the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ALRSYSM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00ALRSYSM&linkCode=as2&tag=simpl05e-20">Shower Curtain</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=simpl05e-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00ALRSYSM" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />
I bought we measured how high on the wall we needed the flanges to be. We then held one flange in place and marked the holes that were necessary. We predrilled the holes in the wall and placed anchors for the screws in the wall....make sure this thing aint coming down if you swing on it! We went ahead and screwed the one flange on the wall.<br />
#3- Took the cut rod and used painters tape to attach my longest level to it. (Now if you're fancy, you may have a magnetic level....but me I went with the redneck version and it worked.)<br />
#4- I slid the unattached flange onto the rod (with the level attached) and then slide the other end into the flange attached to the wall. I just kept moving the rod til all was level and then marked the new spots on the wall where the second flange would go.<br />
#5- Predrilled holes for anchors for the second flange.<br />
#6- Popped the pole (without the level...lol) with the unattached flange on one end into the attached flange and then drilled the screws into the waiting anchors on the unattached end.<br />
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Here's the end result:</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uNoBBAFXdqQ/Uq4Qx3Zk7mI/AAAAAAAABww/1wNHPfginDw/s1600/IMG_7832.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uNoBBAFXdqQ/Uq4Qx3Zk7mI/AAAAAAAABww/1wNHPfginDw/s640/IMG_7832.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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Here's a closeup of the flange attached to the wall. This pic also shows the waffle knit on the curtain....as well as the sheer light panel on the curtain.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mVkVORhsqos/Uq4Q55yVF4I/AAAAAAAABw4/4Mw4X240Csk/s1600/IMG_7835a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mVkVORhsqos/Uq4Q55yVF4I/AAAAAAAABw4/4Mw4X240Csk/s640/IMG_7835a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hanging the curtain high makes the ceilings look uber tall. I thought about going with the 96 inch length ones like my regular window curtains, but I liked where the light panel hit on this 86 inch one....so that's where I ended up.<br />
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I added a few more finishing touches too. Like this tiered fruit basket that I got on clearance for $6 for my kitchen but then it didn't fit underneath my kitchen cabinets....filled with extra TP and washclothes, it fits wuite nicely on the vanity.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wOp3kYd1WzE/Uq4RuIsQLxI/AAAAAAAABxM/ovLl4cTdfc0/s1600/IMG_7838.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wOp3kYd1WzE/Uq4RuIsQLxI/AAAAAAAABxM/ovLl4cTdfc0/s640/IMG_7838.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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I also added these <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00499VDDG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00499VDDG&linkCode=as2&tag=simpl05e-20">Brushed Nickel Towel Bar Hooks by Moen</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=simpl05e-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00499VDDG" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />. I absolutely love these! They came 2 per package. So I added one to the towel bar in the bathroom and three to the one in our master. They are super awesome. You can actually hang your full-size body towels from them. I HIGHLY recommend them. We have a 12 inch towel bar (yes, that is one foot) in our master and we hang 3 full size towels off of it daily, and they all dry easily now....and they look at lot better than cramming towels on a towel bar. Here's a pic of the hook up close. It comes with inserts to fit any size bar.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3-KVaklWyIiMsLHrCTw6rZEphqXzOfDrn3LBmQlYucuOklT8VqN2fb9PtL6DwdQnms1mSQXlFR2hQKQYJKQE9_vmxtXPCP4YgkFSMTzIrVDsIp631QJEzhIX1xoX5Ar1RyKtvA7uIi3e/s1600/IMG_7836.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3-KVaklWyIiMsLHrCTw6rZEphqXzOfDrn3LBmQlYucuOklT8VqN2fb9PtL6DwdQnms1mSQXlFR2hQKQYJKQE9_vmxtXPCP4YgkFSMTzIrVDsIp631QJEzhIX1xoX5Ar1RyKtvA7uIi3e/s640/IMG_7836.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And here's a shot of the full bathroom:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9boXgZWVBf_zRbggHxrE1glGMXGf_Vt4GUFMMqtbx5kXApdBB-QMOSXiWBZFHclf5dwkk9VDJyaK7vBkE8dJiAONycbeyLp9hjViGh7gHktvAOicMBsR5eLXIVgJAYwCdqYluQnWTVKo3/s1600/IMG_7831.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9boXgZWVBf_zRbggHxrE1glGMXGf_Vt4GUFMMqtbx5kXApdBB-QMOSXiWBZFHclf5dwkk9VDJyaK7vBkE8dJiAONycbeyLp9hjViGh7gHktvAOicMBsR5eLXIVgJAYwCdqYluQnWTVKo3/s640/IMG_7831.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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You can't see the towel bar in this shot...but trust me those hooks are awesome-possum!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Affiliatelinks </div>
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Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-81752151900567817832013-12-15T15:34:00.002-06:002022-05-28T19:40:53.774-05:00Extra Bedroom Closet Overhaul: Phase 5- the finish!<div style="text-align: justify;">
So I am back to share finished pics of the closet....warning though, the pics are not that great. Andddddd I decided I was too lazy to care or to fix them. But you don't care right? You just want to see the end result. So without furthur ado....THE EXTRA BEDROOM CLOSET after caulking and painting:</div>
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Here's the side with hanging bars:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-roisgvgFKn4/Uq4P_oanaQI/AAAAAAAABwg/Eid2dhJvJ8M/s1600/IMG_7830.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-roisgvgFKn4/Uq4P_oanaQI/AAAAAAAABwg/Eid2dhJvJ8M/s640/IMG_7830.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>
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And here's the side with only shelving:</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9LYR--KDt_M/Uq4P7vz8eWI/AAAAAAAABwY/f3wi1mlOpzA/s1600/IMG_7829.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9LYR--KDt_M/Uq4P7vz8eWI/AAAAAAAABwY/f3wi1mlOpzA/s640/IMG_7829.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>
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Sorry, I thought about styling the shelves before I took these pics, but nope....decided against the unrealistic look. This is real...a lonely PB light still in the box on the shelf. That's the real closet. BUT....we have had a guest who stayed in the room for a week and used the closet daily. Score!! It is usuable...lol!</div>
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Here's a few "closer-up" shots:</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4AwnKMLzDv4/Uq4PgCPH4oI/AAAAAAAABwQ/bnCzB-qh9I0/s1600/IMG_7826.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4AwnKMLzDv4/Uq4PgCPH4oI/AAAAAAAABwQ/bnCzB-qh9I0/s640/IMG_7826.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aTRkyTrN-N4/Uq4PH0yHtqI/AAAAAAAABwA/Wt4xCNtzdg8/s1600/IMG_7827.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aTRkyTrN-N4/Uq4PH0yHtqI/AAAAAAAABwA/Wt4xCNtzdg8/s640/IMG_7827.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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Let's take a look back real quick and see where we started.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PUt0IgZ3Yjk/UauxXykUGdI/AAAAAAAABjU/YlzmGLV8wnM/s1600/frontbr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PUt0IgZ3Yjk/UauxXykUGdI/AAAAAAAABjU/YlzmGLV8wnM/s640/frontbr.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'd say it's a vast improvement over that!</div>
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Yay! I love getting things done. I know this was the most interesting post ever to you, but hey....this is life. We're being real.</div>
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To see previous Extra Bedroom Closet Overhaul posts click the links:</div>
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<a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/06/extra-bedroom-closet-overhaul-phase-1.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">Phase 1-the plan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/06/extra-bedroom-closet-overhaul-phase-2.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">Phase 2- the lights</a><br />
<a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/07/extra-bedroom-closet-overhaul-phase-3.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">Phase 3- the poles</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/12/extra-bedroom-closet-overhaul-phase-4.html">Phase 4- the shelves</a></div>
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Phase 5- the finish</div>
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<i style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Note: I was not given anything in this post. I purchased everything myself and was not compensated to post my opinions about it. I simply listed my supplies purchased with my own monies for the benefit of you, my wonderful reader friends.</i></div>
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Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-62475127247868782822013-12-10T10:23:00.001-06:002022-05-28T19:42:00.620-05:00Extra Bedroom Closet Overhaul: Phase 4- Choosing Shelving<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21.453125px; text-align: justify;">
So I know it's been <strike>4 months</strike> forever since I last posted....I know, I know....bad bad blogger....but life is real ya know. Sometimes things just get in the way or are more important, and thats life. BUT I have <strike>been working on</strike> finished the closet still as I have had time.<br />
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Anyhow, what I decided on using for shelving was real wood...pine to be exact. The reason I decided on real wood is because:<br />
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A- It was cheaper per foot than the already painted MDF and/or plasticy premade shelving boards.</div>
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B- It will last practically forever and take a beating.</div>
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C- Real wood is nice. If I am gonna do this, I am gonna do this, ya know!?</div>
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So, from Lowes or maybe Home Depot...I can't remember, I purchased three 8 feet long 1x12s for the shelves and four 8 feet long 1x2s for the cleats.<br />
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Here are the steps I took to get them ready to install:<br />
#1- I sanded the mess out of them with my palm sander. (no picture of this messy task....I hate sanding.)<br />
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#2- I primed each side of the board with Kilz. I primed BEFORE I cut the boards to size on purpose.... so that I could easily use a roller on the whole thing. This is like the ultimate exhibition of of laziness...lol...but either way it worked great. I laid the 1x2s side by side and did them using the roller all at once too. See below...</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nekLt7KpB3M/UkdFpRw1llI/AAAAAAAABsU/PlEOhhNUq3w/s1600/IMG_1768.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nekLt7KpB3M/UkdFpRw1llI/AAAAAAAABsU/PlEOhhNUq3w/s1600/IMG_1768.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I even turned the big 1x12s up on theirs sides and rolled the edges...see below.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--RvHvhcjBKc/UkdFpToM6YI/AAAAAAAABsQ/iP7D09GOjKs/s1600/IMG_1769.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--RvHvhcjBKc/UkdFpToM6YI/AAAAAAAABsQ/iP7D09GOjKs/s1600/IMG_1769.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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#4- I painted them using the same paint as the rest of the trim in the house. I also used the same methodology of rolling the whole boards rather than the cut shelves.</div>
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#5- Cut the boards to size. Again, I didn't take pictures of this but I cut them on my miter saw according to the lengths listed in <a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/06/extra-bedroom-closet-overhaul-phase-1.html">my plan</a>. I cut the 1x12s to use as shelves and I cut the 1x2s to use as cleats for the shelves.</div>
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#6- The next thing I did was predrilled the holes for the screws I was using in the pleats. It might be overkill, but since I wasn't hitting studs with most of my screws/nails I put anchors in the wall. So after I predrilled my holes in the cleats, I held the up to the wall where I wanted to put it and marked the wall. Then I put anchors in the wall on the marks I had made. Then all I had to do was put the screw through the predrilled holes in the cleats and in the anchors waiting in the wall. So these shelves are STURDY. I guess my thought was that one day a kid might be trying to climb them, so I wanted them as sturdy as possible. I put 2 screws in each side cleat and 3 screws in the back cleats.</div>
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#7- Next we laid the shelves we cut right onto the cleats. Then using a nail gun and 2 inch finishing nails, we nailed the shelves into the cleats.<br />
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And here's a pictures of the shelves before caulking and painting and before we nailed the top shelf to the cleats. You can see all the screw holes.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4exWRA2Qhgs/UpYnI5O1tPI/AAAAAAAABtI/fc0iVwpKEew/s1600/IMG_1830.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4exWRA2Qhgs/UpYnI5O1tPI/AAAAAAAABtI/fc0iVwpKEew/s1600/IMG_1830.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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And here's one last picture of the other side of the closet before the finishing steps:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4Gw7HQzXXGk/UpYnIy0YFJI/AAAAAAAABtM/5cqTgBA9M2g/s1600/IMG_1831.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4Gw7HQzXXGk/UpYnIy0YFJI/AAAAAAAABtM/5cqTgBA9M2g/s1600/IMG_1831.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Yes that is a chair in the closet....I used it as my ladder that day.</div>
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<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21.453125px; text-align: center;">
To see previous Extra Bedroom Closet Overhaul posts click the links:</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21.453125px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/06/extra-bedroom-closet-overhaul-phase-1.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">Phase 1-the plan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/06/extra-bedroom-closet-overhaul-phase-2.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">Phase 2- the lights</a><br />
<a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/07/extra-bedroom-closet-overhaul-phase-3.html">Phase 3- the poles</a></div>
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<i style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Note: I was not given anything in this post. I purchased everything myself and was not compensated to post my opinions about it. I simply listed my supplies purchased with my own monies for the benefit of you, my wonderful reader friends.</i></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21.453125px; text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></i></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21.453125px; text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Affiliate Links</i></div>
Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878682251422404927.post-91517646928783355612013-07-17T09:01:00.001-05:002013-07-17T09:01:33.376-05:00Extra Bedroom Closet Overhaul: Phase 3- Poles and Pole Holes<div style="text-align: justify;">
Remember the closet I took apart and now have to put back together?? Well, it needed poles. Enter wonky non-edited picture of my blank walled closet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimebxTpzj_FzFiQiEWUOd1RFVEtJjIsskwhhQMLEawKHzZ-kQEyu_i6A7-84N4iPbj1Atnw_gNoUPvLj1LZpv31l6XsdpNZ3f6aYoJ7HjM4BWsoH478bNelDoqOgbMz5453BTm2zB74LiP/s1600/IMG_1732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimebxTpzj_FzFiQiEWUOd1RFVEtJjIsskwhhQMLEawKHzZ-kQEyu_i6A7-84N4iPbj1Atnw_gNoUPvLj1LZpv31l6XsdpNZ3f6aYoJ7HjM4BWsoH478bNelDoqOgbMz5453BTm2zB74LiP/s640/IMG_1732.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Ya'll all know how I like poles...you can read all about that<a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/05/i-like-pole-jobs-better-pendant-lights.html"> here</a> so......I am excited to tell you that the closet now has poles! What what! High-five self! So here's how that came into play. First, I bought some supplies. <span id="goog_1386943670"></span></div>
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Now, I will be honest on the supplies...I had no clue what the pole hole was called. No, surprise, surprise "pole hole" is not a technical term. You know what I'm talkin' bout though, right? The little metal or wood holes that hold the closet poles (or as <strike>some</strike> most might call them closet rods) to the wall. So I did some digging on the internet and found out that Closet Rod Flanges is the "real" term for pole holes. Who knew!? (and if you already knew this...well, good for you. ha!) </div>
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So I hunted around lowes.com and homedepot.com for (let me be proper) rods and flanges. I found some at both, but homedepot.com prices seem to beat lowes.com, so I bought them there. How nice is the buy online, pick up in store (or OOPUIS to the super cool peeps like me...lol) option!? LOVE IT! I don't have to walk around gathering my supplies, I can just order and pick up.</div>
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So here's what all I OOPUIS'ed:<br />
- 1 <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202183163?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=202183163&R=202183163#.UeWlL9K3_y4">six foot Closet Rod Pole in Brushed Nickel @ $19.96</a><br />
- 2 sets of <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202183173?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productIdhttp://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202183173?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=202183173&R=202183173#.UeWlLtK3_y4=202183173&R=202183173#.UeWlLtK3_y4">Closet Rod Flanges in Brushed Nickel @ $5.57 each</a><br />
- 1 set of <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/10-12-x-1-1-4-in-Blue-Ribbed-Plastic-Anchors-with-Pan-Head-Combo-Drive-Screws-7-Pack-00498/202187095#.UeWms9K3_y4">wall anchors</a> to fit the screws that came with the Flanges<br />
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#1- Cut the pole</div>
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So if you look at my closet plan (also posted in <a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/06/extra-bedroom-closet-overhaul-phase-1.html">Post 1</a> of this series) you'll see I needed 2 rods that were 29.5 inches long each. Since my closet was oddly sized, I had to buy a long pole and then cut to custom length ones rods out of it. We just measured the pole and then marked the spot to be cut with painters tape. My hubs then used the handsaw to cut it at that line. You could use your miter saw to do this if you have the right blade...but I was too cheap to buy a new blade just for this, so I used the cheapest saw I had on hand.</div>
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#2- Measure & Mark where the Flanges should go..then screw'em in.</div>
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I want the lowest closet rod to be around 41 inches off the ground and the higher one to be at least 82 inches off the ground. First, we measured 41 inches off the ground on one side. Then held one flange in place and marked the holes. Hubs then put anchors in the drywall for the screws. We then screwed in that flange to the wall. To mark the second flange, I taped a level to the pole and inserted it into the flange hole that was already attached to the wall. Then placed the other flange on the pole and moved it up and down the wall until the level said the pole was well....level. lol.<br />
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We then used a pencil and marked the appropriate holes on the wall. From there it was just a rinse and repeat....we put drywall anchors in the new marks and then screwed <strike>her or him</strike> it in. </div>
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#3- Higher Pole</div>
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We followed the same strategy with the second and highest pole....only difference was I stood on a chair rather than the ground. ha! You thought it was gonna be some ground breaking new strategy...well, I thought my taping the level to the pole was pretty ground breaking myself.</div>
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So here's the closet in all it's poled glory.</div>
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Now, I've gotta get my tail in gear and finish this thing. We will have a guest in this room soon and there's lots more to do outside the closet.</div>
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To see previous Extra Bedroom Closet Overhaul posts click the links: </div>
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<a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/06/extra-bedroom-closet-overhaul-phase-1.html">Phase 1- the plan</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.imsimplysarah.com/2013/06/extra-bedroom-closet-overhaul-phase-2.html">Phase 2- the lights</a><br />
Phase 3- the poles<br />
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<i style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Note: I was not given anything in this post. I purchased everything myself and was not compensated to post my opinions about it. I simply listed my supplies purchased with my own monies for the benefit of you, my wonderful reader friends.</i></div>
Sarah @ ImSimplySarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01465677325738144190noreply@blogger.com0