This evening I spent some time weeding and getting our outdoor beds ready for planting.  I was pleased to see that my mint survived the winter and I am hopeful that my Vitex will bloom.  It really is nice to see things growing and turning green!  If you have been following me for a while, you know about how I decided to make my own fertility tea.  This year I will be much closer to being able to actually go outside and harvest all of the things I need for the tea.  But, in the meantime, I have made the tea using bulk herbs and have made it available for purchase.  Today, you can win a one month supply!

Open World Wide!

All you need to do to enter is complete this crossword puzzle!  The bonus is that you will automatically be entered to win 10 Wondfo pregnancy tests!  It is like two giveaways wrapped up into one!   Good luck! 

• I went to a college prep boarding school.  I always say that my brother was a genius and I was a legacy.  It was a school full of rich freakishly intelligent kids.  I always felt like Penny on Big Bang Theory minus the ditsy charm, quick witty replies, and sex appeal.  I walked around the small campus between classes mostly hiding my face and saying a quick hello to anyone I passed only because it was socially expected.  Each time I had to do that, my heart would race.  After I muttered the quick greeting, I would hear how my voice sounded and it would echo in my head.  I would then ridicule myself for how stupid my "hello" was.  I was so shy, it hurt. 

• Somehow, in the summertime I was about as confident and fun as ever.  I would find myself in situations where I was "going with" one guy and another was crying because I was his one and only and I just had to give him a chance.  It was like a 3 month version of the twilight zone for me.  Then, I would return to school and I couldn't even smile at a boy without feeling like I was going to barf.  

• I went to college and decided that I was going to recreate myself.  That I did.  I recreated myself into a confident, life of the party, never left the party-- girl.  I was that festively fun girl for 2 years.  It was after about a year and a half that I was seriously flunking out of school.  Not like, "I should be doing better."  It was, "I am not going to get more than a D in anything this year."  Those two years I had more fun than I ever had in my life but it was time to grow up.  I transferred to a different college and thankfully grades didn't transfer but I would get credit for anything I got at least a D in.  It was a fresh slate and I got to start over.  

• In my college summers I worked at an amusement park in Ohio.  I was one of those sweeper girls that would walk around with a dust pan and broom and clean up all of the cheesy fries and cigarette butts.  One the strange things about working there was that people seemed to think that because it was like a whole different "place" that they were in Amsterdam.  I can't count how many times I got to help the undercover cops bust people that were walking around the park smoking pot like they were in some dude's basement.  My favorite was when a guy walked right up to me, smoking a marijuana cigar and asked me for a map.  After calling park security, I hid behind a bush and watched the bust.  They brought enough pot to stuff one of those inflatable hammers you can win for if they can't guess how much you weigh.  "On coming riders, please secure all sunglasses, hats, keys and illegal drugs, for C.P. can't be held responsible for their loss or damage... " 

Share something that you think most people would be surprised to know about you. 

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I could go on and on about all of the wonderful benefits of the various essential oils but today I am going to tell you about Lemon Essential Oil.

This is a perfect oil to have on hand for when you finally are pregnant and are happy to have symptoms but the nausea is getting to be too much.  Putting a few drops of this oil on a tissue or handkerchief can really come in handy!  A few sniffs of the lemon oil can really calm your system.  This is ideal to have for when you are out and about and don't have the liberty to go running to a toilet to lose your lunch.  If you are working, this is perfect for when you can't blow your cover by cupping your hands over your mouth and bolting from a meeting because the room smells like bacon and coffee.

There are so many other oils that can be used for so many things but Lemon Oil is one of natures best kept morning sickness remedies!

If you would like your choice of 2-  1/3 ounce container of Lemon, Lavender, Tea Tree, or Ylang Ylang Essential Oil, all you need to do is answer at least 3 of the polls HERE.  You will need to be signed in to vote!

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When I was pregnant with Joey after 6 consecutive losses, to say that I was nervous would be an understatement.  I was thankful for my early ultrasounds since they would give me peace of mind but when those stopped, I was left to figure out how I was going to enjoy the next two trimesters.  For Christmas, Doug got me a fetal doppler!  I was about 11 weeks pregnant.  I immediately sat on the couch with the doppler in hand.  I had to poke around for a long time but then, in the comforts of my own home I heard the magical sound of my baby's heartbeat.

Every afternoon after I put Gavin down for his nap I would get out my doppler and take a quick listen.  It was amazing to be able to have that quick minute of connectedness with my unborn baby.

As time moved along and I was able to feel him moving about and giving me pokes and kicks, I used my doppler much less frequently.  Sometime I would get it out just for fun but it wasn't necessary.

Then, one night as I was getting ready to turn in for the night, I was sent for a loop.  I had noticed a bit of red blood when I wiped.  I was just 26 weeks pregnant.  I quickly came out of the bathroom and went to tell Doug what had happened.  He and I quickly pulled out the doppler and sat anxiously on the couch waiting to hear confirmation that he was okay.  Within seconds, I could hear his heart beating away.  It was strong, and thank to the digital display I could verify that it was at a typical rate as well.  We did go to the hospital just to make sure that he was still okay and that I wasn't dilated.   Everything checked out fine and the spotting never returned after that night.  Having that fetal doppler on hand was the best thing in the world.



Thanks to Fetal Harmony, you will have an opportunity for this peace of mind for your current or upcoming pregnancy!  The Hi Bebe Fetal Doppler can help you hear your baby heartbeat as early as 10 weeks!  The digital display will show you your baby's heart rate which is a wonderful help when you are still figuring out the difference between your heart sounds and baby's.  You will also get ultrasound gel which makes for optimal results!

All you need to do to enter this giveaway is post in the forums at www.ttccommunity.com  You can start a post or respond to something that is already there.  You can come back each day and post for extra entries.  Good luck! 

One more thing!  Don't forget to enter the giveaways that are ending soon like the Dream Belly Butter!  

Perhaps it is my addiction to peeing on sticks throughout the month, but despite me having fairly predictable cycles, I love using Ovulation tests to know how to best time things.  Each month, usually in the first few days of my period, I like to buy my ovulation tests for next cycle.  I like to call it infertility retail therapy.

I have always bought the First Response OPKs, but never again.  Seriously.  I'm not going to waste another dime!  It isn't that they don't work, they just cost a fortune.  I always thought that if they cost more they would give me better and easier to read results.  Boy was I ever wrong! 

I had the opportunity to use Ovulation Test Strips from Baby Hopes.  These tests are a fraction of the price so for the same amount you would spend on 7 name brand tests you can get 25 or more of these tests.  And if you are concerned that the results aren't reliable, check these out.

Cycle day 9

Cycle day 10

Cycle day 11

Cycle day 12 Mid-morning

Cycle day 12 Afternoon

I loved how they gave me a great fade in pattern and when it was positive, there was no doubt in my mind that it was positive.  No guess work!  Plus, since they are so inexpensive, you can afford to test multiple times a day if you want or need to!  Another perk if you are familiar with these kinds of test strips, they are those super skinny, tough to hold variety.  They are at least twice as wide which also makes taking and reading the test easy peasy!

I am not exaggerating when I say that I am a changed woman after this opportunity to try Baby Hopes OPKs!  Want to try them for yourself?  They have kindly offered to giveaway 25 OPKs and 10 Pregnancy Test Strips!  I am looking forward to using the pregnancy test strips next week.  Maybe they will bring me some luck!  After all, they did come with baby dust.  No joke!

This Giveaway is open to US and Canada only. 

All you need to do to enter is start a post in our forums.  It can be in any category you wish!  Now, isn't that easy?  Plus if you want extra entries you can post everyday!  Plus it will make me smile.  That is just a bonus prize. 

 These are all questions about trying to conceive posed in the last week.  I did not edit them at all.  I didn't want to insult the integrity of their questions.

Can I Fail A Drug Test By Having Sex The Night Before?

when i look at my eghhhm eghhhmmm, you know, down there.. i can see my vagina (LOL) what i mean is i can see a black small whole opening up...is this always visible if i stretch out my legs and relax or is it only when you ovulate? i know that when someone ovulates, their cervix is more lower and open...or something like that? can you please explain it to me more because i am very confused..and how the heck can i see my cervix to see if im ovulating or not?! it's too deep in there!

Are you asking if your vagina is only visible when you ovulate?  Where do you think it would go the rest of the month?  Plus, does your vagina really make you laugh out loud? 

 If I take mines and my lesbian partner eggs out in combine it with sperm will the the baby be biological ours?

I mostly want to know how you plan on harvesting you and your partner's eggs.  You are aware that women can't squeeze out eggs and you can't exactly reach up there and pluck them out either, right?  

 When it comes to conception, does the size of the penis matter? Does it take longer to conceive? Does it matter??

 If a woman has a bigger butt, will she have an easier time sitting? 

Is it true that sperm needs to get a ride onto the cervix? Also can you wash off sperm with soap and water?  MEANING. You can only get pregnant if something goes inside of you containing sperm (his private part, finger, ect.) Just asking because that's what i heard. For instance, if he ejaculates onto your butt, it's not going to swim into your uterus.

Thanks for that visual.  Seriously.  Forever burned into my brain.     

Why is it that my husband sperm comes out of my Virginia the way it is?  Any time we make love, i notice that the sperm usually comes out the way it is from m Virgina, what is the probability of getting pregnant

 You are probably just fine but if it starts leaking form your West Virginia... then you have an issue. 
 

Im trying to get pregnant, whats a method that will for sure work?

Now check out part 1, 2 , 3 , 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8

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When I was pregnant with both of my children, Doug and I really enjoyed our Pregnancy Journal.  This book isn't your standard, everything you need to know resource book, but it does offer you a daily peek at what is happening in there.  It is so miraculous the changes that are taking place every single day.  The other reason this was a favorite is that it helped Doug, the science minded typical guy, to visualize and better understand what I was feeling.

This is great for if you are already expecting and looking for a neat way to connect with your little one but also a great thing to have on hand for when you get you much longed for BFP!




All you have to do to enter is submit a screen shot of one of your charts, pregnancy test picture, or ovulation test picture.  If you have none of these, you can add any video or photo to your album.