Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Shoe Frenzy + Femara Follies: Everything's Lining Up!

I am just going to warn you now; This post is pretty darn exciting! If you've been reading a while, you already know how much I love "before and afters" as well as the occasional home decorating/organizing project. De-cluttering=Free Therapy

How then, have hubby and I lived in this house for almost FIVE YEARS with the fiasco that is our closet? Truth be told, he's been griping about the situation forever, and I've been putting it off...Other priorities and I didn't want to spend any $ to fix it.

This is pretty embarrassing, but we've been living out of these ridiculous hanging canvas shelves. You know, the kind that velcro onto a closet bar and leave all your clothes hanging out of the front in a very dorm room'esque fashion? I'm going to share something with you, but then I'll have to kill you...

Yes, this is the closet of a 35 and 37 year old married couple. So sad.

Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, "How'd I get so fat?" That is how I feel about this closet...NOT easy to look at! ha! Something just snapped in me last week and I could not take it ONE. MORE. SECOND! Time to bite the bullet and do something about it.

I do not like multiple dressers in the bedroom if I can help it either, because I like an open feel, so I spent last week meeting with custom closet designers, visiting closet showrooms, and haggling with sales reps.  I highly recommend doing this if you have a closet crisis yourself and have the energy. Even if you don't end up buying anything, you will get some fabulous ideas on how to organize it yourself.

I don't think I'll be able to sleep for the next 6 weeks, because that is when 12 new drawers will be custom built into our closet! So exciting!! No more looking at this mess. I will definitely post pics once this side of the closet is done. Stay tuned in December.

The other thing that has been really embarrassing and also quite hazardous is my shoe situation. Apparently, a long time ago I thought it would be smart to pile my shoes into clear plastic bins and slap some Sharpie onto labels to "organize" them. Only problem (besides the fact that it looks like kindergarten class)? I am 5'4" tall and not a good basketball player. Many times while trying to aim for the correct shoe bin a few feet above my head, a shoe will hit the rim and divebomb my face! It happens more often than not to be honest. The more I write this, the more ridiculous I feel.

Anyhoo, we did want to cut costs with the closet people where we could, so I decided to tackle the shoe situation myself. A trip to the Container Store and a couple of broken nails later, I ended up with something so fabulous I should add it to my resume. Prepare to pick your jaw up off the floor once you see the amazing shoe transformation that just occurred!...
BEFORE
TA DAH!! AFTER!

BEFORE
I JUST WANT TO STAND IN HERE AND STARE AT IT!


This shoe project cost less than $200 and what a difference! I had so much fun that it almost makes me want to organize for a living. I can just breathe easier when things are organized. :)

Speaking of work, I started substitute teaching again on Monday. I have not subbed in about ten years (before I became a certified teacher back in FL) but figured I'd be really daring and jump right in to a position with ED (emotionally disabled) and Autistic middle school students. I learned upon my arrival that the woman I was subbing for had a table and four chairs flipped over on her the Friday before. I really know how to pick 'em!

I did end up (gently) commondeering a pair of scissors from said kid who flipped the table, diffused a few meltdowns, and made it home relatively unscathed.  I would like to think I'm good at helping special needs students, but let's just say Monday was a reminder of why I left special ed and started teaching regular ed science when I did years ago. Phew! I am learning how to navigate the online system where subs go to claim jobs and decipher the abbreviations for the assignments I'd rather not choose. My foot is in the door though, and that is all I wanted. So now, I will pick and choose a tad more selectively.

As if this is not enough excitement for the week, I will share one more happening...As you know, I took 5 mg Femara CD2-CD6 this cycle, in order to scoot up ovulation before hubby flies out this weekend. After some discussion, hubby and I decided that if we are going to try on our own with Femara at home, why not up the anty and just go for an IUI? So, we went in for ultrasound monitoring yesterday (CD12) to discuss with Dr. V and see what follicles were brewing in there.

Turns out I am having probably the best response on Femara I've ever had. I have 3 follicles growing nice and synchronously...

Left ovary: 16.5 mm, 16.5 mm
Right ovary: 15 mm
Lining: 7.4 mm


I have only produced two follies max on Femara in the past, so this is good news. I am most likely still a few days away from ovulation, and hubby flies out on Sunday. So, I am testing with OPK's, and if I don't get a + by Friday afternoon, we'll go back to the RE for another ultrasound to confirm everything is mature. If all looks good (22 mm follies), I'll do an Ovidrel trigger shot Friday night and we'll have the IUI Sunday morning before hubby leaves. Honestly though, I'm hoping I'll get a +OPK naturally by Friday so we can do an IUI on Saturday (CD16). One day at a time. It's taken some creativity and planning, but right now it looks like this cycle is going to work out timing wise!

27 comments:

  1. Yaay!!! I'm so excited for you!! This is wonderful news!! I love what you did in your closet, I had those hanging canvas deals too which seemed great AT FIRST! haha I know it was the before picture but I did like the idea of how you had your tall boots hung from a hanger!

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    1. Thanks Amie! Yeah, key words being AT FIRST!

      You would really like the boot shapers I bought from Container Store then. You can't see them in the pic, but inside all my boots now are boot shapers, which happen to have a tiny built-in hanger tucked inside, so you can actually hang them if you want to. Check them out... http://www.containerstore.com/shop/?productId=10000125

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  2. WOO HOO! Happy ovaries and organization....TOTAL WIN!

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    1. Indeed! I've looked at my closet at least ten times now.

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  3. YAY for good timing! That's AWESOME, Emily! Hopeful for a good surge and a successful IUI!

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    1. Thanks Amanda! Ready to see that smiley face. I get so impatient waiting, but hopefully these follies keep growing steadily in enough time!

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  4. Nice work on the closet, and best of luck with this promising IUI!

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  5. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE organizing!! My family jokes around with me that my label maker is also probably labeled ;) I can't wait to see pictures of the final project!

    waitingforbabybird.com

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  6. Omg that shoe project is amazing! I need to hire you to handle the shoe-Disaster that I have brewing! Yay for your response to Femera!

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  7. Girl, This is awesome. I too JUST discovered the container store, what took me so long?!!! I've been doing all sorts of things in the kitchen and I feel like a whole new person! I have got to check out this shoe thing you got, because oh my, the shoes, it drives me nuts. People always joke our closet is the size of a room, yet it's so disorganized it doesn't feel that way. You have inspired me. I know those kiddos are SO blessed to have you as their teacher and yay for such good news about the IUI. Sending up lots of prayers for you. Hugs xoxoxo

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  8. Great news on your cycle - I hope things continue to go smoothly!!!
    Also, WHERE did you get your shoe storage/organizers?! LOVE them!

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    1. Thanks Aubrey! Got the shoe organizers at the Container Store...love that place!

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  9. Wow! I need you to come organize the shoe mess we have going on over here. We literately have our whole closet plus the pantry closet in the restroom filled with shoes. Eek! Tired of seein them just pile up everywhere.

    Yay! For your best response to Femara. Looks like it's doing wonders for you. Hoping for a natural surge(:

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  10. Your before looks like my after!! Haha and now your closest is like HGTV magazine worthy!! So glad the cycle is going well!!

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  11. Hooray! So many good things! First, I LOVE the closet organization! Great job! Second, that is an awesome response to the Femara! I hope the timing continues to work out well and that you have some very good luck this cycle! :)

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  12. Love your new shoe organization...but I honestly didn't think it was so bad before. Glad you found something that works better for you and that it makes you so happy. Also, yay for 3 follies! Sounds like the timing will work out great. FX for you, always!

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  13. Niiiiiiice closet! It puts me to shame! And congrats on your promising cycle! I think everything is "falling into place" for you :)

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  14. Those shoe racks are HOTT! Love it! And super excited about your response on Femara. Woohoo!

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  15. This is a great post! How exciting about the IUI!!! It sounds like you've been keeping busy, too (in the midst of timing your cycle), and have been very productive! Good for you, Emily!!!

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  16. First of all, you SOUND absolutely fantastic. So upbeat and positive. I love it!! Second, can you please come do my closet!?!? Third, YAY for Femara!!! Would love, love, love for you to get your BFP on a simple easy breezy cycle like this!!

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  17. Wow, you are such a good organizer!!! Way to stay busy :)

    I am so happy to hear things will be working out this cycle, I will be sending you tons of good vibes!!

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  18. Will you please come and do my closet for me!!! I love it! Oh and totally love your shoe collection as well:-) So glad this cycle is going so well. Praying it continues to.

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  19. That is an incredible Femara response!!! Hoping this is your lucky cycle, how awesome would that be??? Lots of prayers!

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  20. I love what you did with your closet and can't wait to see the final results in December! Wanna come organize my closet/house?
    So excited for the response you got on femura and that the timing looks like it is going to work out for you as well!!! Hoping and praying this cycle is it :)

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  21. THIS ---->> De-cluttering=Free Therapy

    No wonder I am in constant de-clutter mode :)

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