Check out this morning's 30 DSLR post. All about challenges!

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Is it seriously already mid-day? Where has today gone?! I started off this morning like any other with some work on the computer before Makenzie woke up. Then a pumpkin infused breakfast, of course.

Apparently, this little concoction has been floating around blog land the past couple of days. I mixed up some pumpkin, Justin’s maple almond butter, and maple syrup as a topper for some waffles. It sounded good to me and I went for it, then read others doing the same thing while devouring my own. Great minds think alike! 😉

I spent the majority of the morning hours hanging out with fellow mom friends in Makenzie’s playgroup. Now, I have a bit of down time before spending the majority of my afternoon at the doctor’s office. I have my 6 month prenatal appointment today. Really?! I’m already that far along? I have only 4 months left?

Ohhh…didn’t you know pregnancy is closer to 10 months than the popularly stated 9 months? Fooling you into a shorter time span is part of the dark side of pregnancy. Check out some of the other dark sides of pregnancy.

Say hello to Pamela Anderson.

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Your boobs grow. It may sound appealing, but trust me its not. They get in the way and cause too much discomfort – like an achy back and boob sweat. Yep, I said boob sweat. Then, you get to look forward to them swelling up even more after the baby. I literally wore a size F bra the first 2 months after M. SIZE F!!!!! Only to have them deflate to floppy things later on. But you know? I prefer the floppy.

You consider buying stock in panty liners.

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Extra trips to the bathroom during pregnancy may not be breaking news. But did you know that sneezing, laughing, and coughing can cause leakage? Call me grandma!

You also consider buying stock in prunes.

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Even with all those trips to the bathroom, you don’t go go. Likely because a baby has your intestine pinned to your rib cage and unable to process anything. It makes for very pleasurable gas. And one thing to remember for when your time comes? Get the enema! It can save you from an embarrassing accident. Oh yes, that happens on the delivery table!

Why is there hair…there?!

Pregnancy may help give you more luscious locks on your head, but the hair growth extends elsewhere too. Like your stomach….lower back…your Pamela Anderson zone. Dang hormones! And get used to being hairy overall. Shaving becomes a near impossibility by the end. Welcome to France! Or the 70s. Pick your mental image.

Huff huff huff.

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With the baby pushing all your organs around the easiest tasks will wind you. I literally get out of breath going up the stairs. Physically, I don’t feel tired but my body just. can’t. breathe!

There is nothing you can do about stretch marks.

They’re genetic. Did your mom have stretch marks? Then, you likely will too. Save the $ on those fancy creams for something you really want. Like a massage. Just remember to verify they don’t rub you raw through a sheet first. 😉

The cruelest joke in the world.

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Say good-bye to quality sleep long before that baby comes. You would think mother nature would allow you to stockpile sleep in the last half of pregnancy to prepare for all the night waking a newborn brings. You would think. Potty breaks, painful hips, a limited number of sleeping positions, and just plain ole can’t sleep issues plague you like no other.

So, there you have it. If you have a kid – you likely got a chuckle. If you want a kid in the future – I gave you  some truth. If you aren’t sure – I apologize for scaring you from ever wanting children. 😉

What’s the dark side of something that you can share? Running? Your job? Being married? Living with roommates? Cooking? Anything!

How goes it? Did you have a good night last night with your fall TV? A good day so far? Remember, you make the most of your days! Make the decision to live fully. And for the record, my little “only do what you can today because God has plans for your future” message I’ve been thinking has really helped my mood. You should give it a shot! And check out today's 30 Days post if you haven't already. 😉

Guess what I had for breakfast this morning? If you guessed more pumpkin, you would be right. If you guessed another bowl of oats, you would be right.

If you think the above bowl simply copies yesterday’s bowl, you would be wrong. Today’s bowl included a special addition.

A huge thanks to my lady Janetha for sending me this special gift. It was a total surprise (and totally delicious!). The card it came with now hangs on my fridge to give me a smile.

I love blog friends! They really know how to make this girl smile. From special surprises to your everyday visits and comments. You all seriously make my world a happier place. 😀

I continued a fabulous morning by feeling strong. I hit up Group Power class to lift some weights. I almost skipped thanks to some pain in my ankle. The thought of putting on shoes scared me. Why? Because another one of my dirty little secrets is I am extremely clumsy. Yesterday I tripped over one of M’s toys and somehow scraped up the entire front side of my foot and funked up my ankle in the process.

You can’t really see much detail in the picture, but trust me when I say it’s not too pretty. And it hurts. Putting pressure on it didn’t hurt as bad this morning and, as long as I had the sock pulled up high enough, the shoe didn’t rub any tender spots. So I went for it. I wouldn’t have gone for a walk or done kickboxing on it, but lifting was doable. So I did and it felt good.

After the gym, I had great intentions to hit up a local farmer’s market. The only ones I’ve ever heard about are not too close and on Saturdays, which are hard for us to make it to on a regular basis. So when Peter let me know a farmer’s market was now open on Wednesday mornings at the local fair grounds I had to go. I went. I searched. I drove around for a good 10 minutes like a creeper. I could not find it! Bummer! I really looked forward to it!

• Do you feel blog friends are “real” friends? I certainly do! They cheer me up and cheer me on. They obviously care and show it on a regular basis.
• How do you deem if you’re good to work out or not? If I’m sick, I always give my body a break. If it’s an injured area, I mimic some of the moves to see how it feels and go from there. I always adjust as needed during the workout too.