more exciting news!

WE'RE HAVING A BABY!!!

Yay...We are so excited and have been bursting to share the news!

Tomorrow I will be 13 weeks, so I'm not as huge as that first picture looks
 (I promise, there is a scarf creating that baby bump),
actually I'm not showing at all yet.

Here are some things you might want to know:

Estimated Due Date: June 12, 2010

Date we found out I was preggo: October 7, 2009 (at almost 5 weeks)

Home pregnancy tests: 2, and then one more for good measure

Pregnancy confirmed: October 22, 2009 (at almost 7 weeks)

Number of days with morning sickness: Everyday...yuck...

definitely ready for that 2nd trimester magic to start kicking in

Heard the baby's heartbeat: November 23, 2009

(had to do an ultrasound to find that 'lil baby...he/she was hiding,

but we heard a strong heartbeat and I saw the 'lil arms and legs wiggling)

13 week point: December 5, 2009

Here's the home test proof on October 7th,
there's no missing reading a digital test

So surprised!

Self photo right after we found out!

Took another test two days later, just to make sure...
those two pink lines don't lie!

'lil baby's first onsie, showing team pride

Proof my belly isn't as big as that first photo,
and practicing my Vanna White-like baby hold

Most of you already knew,

but hope you enjoyed our fun Friday annoucement!

Lots more to come about BC (baby Colberg).

domination

Mom and Dad dominated the Ironman!

The full race started at 7:00 am with a mass start at the swim

then onto the bike for 112 miles

then onto the marathon

here are a few action shots from the 26.2 mile run

the host hotel was mile marker 3, 10, 16 and 23

so we got to see Mom and Dad several times.

After watching for only a few minutes

we quickly realized what an emotional day this would be.

We saw the lead man and woman absolutely

destroy the race...truly inhuman.
We saw several disabled athletes, which brought tears.

We saw a few people crying while running,

if I had to guess from exhaustion, pain or breakdown.

We went from silent watchers to cheering fans in no time.

We were so proud of each stranger that ran by,

and started cheering.

"Great job!"

"Keep it up, you're doing great!"

"Come on 227, you can do it!"

Cow bells and constant shouts filled the air,

everyone was cheering on each racer as if they were family!

It was such an inspiring afternoon

We took a break from cheering to retrieve

Mom and Dad's bikes and bags at the second transition
then staked out the finish line

Here is Mom rounding the last curve into the finish tunnel

Here is Daddy running into the finish...140.6 miles dominated!

Daddy right after crossing the finish

A victory hug for the happy couple

A true inspiration

My parents...the Ironmen!

Dad and Mom, in all their victory glory!

Cheryl Monroe, age 52, 12:50:39

Moi Monroe, age 52, 13:25:33

I'm such a proud daughter!!!

advice about advice

"The true secret of giving advice is, after you

have honestly given it, to be perfectly indifferent

whether it is taken or not, and never persist

in trying to set people right."

-Hannah Whitall Smith

ali's wedding weekend

What a wonderful weekend!

Ali and Jimmy's rehearsal dinner was at the Tennessee Smokies

minor league ballpark. They rented an indoor/outdoor private area

with seats to the game for all their guests. There was even a fireworks show

after the game was over! Everyone had a great time.

(Unfortunately I forgot to charge my camera battery the night before and it died,

so i didn't get many pics from Friday night and

didn't get one of the cake...very cool. It was a base with a UT baseball hat sitting on it)

one of the cute centerpieces at the game

ali and jimmy about to throw out the first pitches of the game,

of course my girl al threw a strike

another cute centerpiece from the rehearsal dinner

skip ahead to the wedding day...

ali at the salon getting her extensions and wedding hair done

my awesome wedding hair...had to show it off

side view with brooch

and the last one...

jennifer's cute 'do

(jennifer is jimmy's sister)

meghan's cute 'do

 (meghan is ali's older sister, the matron of honor)

we snuck away to decorate the bride and groom's hotel room...

red rose petal walkway and a heart made of yellow rose petals on the bed

christy's famous shoulder massage for the bride

(I was lucky enough to get one of these too on my big day)

she is the best!

ali and christy, love them!

self photo of me and al, with our hair and make up done

me and christy

katie and jennifer trying to figure out how to tie the sashes.

thankfully meghan was the master and helped us all!

how cute are the bridesmaid dresses?

thanks to mrs. mcnulty for making all of our sashes

and to ali for making us these cute flops katie has on.

we rocked the reception in these

the bride's beautiful gown

close up shot of the bodice detail

ali's beautiful ring and wedding band

the band has white diamonds alternating with black diamonds

she designed it, and it looked great!

trying to figure out how to lace up the back of the dress

meghan and mrs. mcnulty hard at work on the corset

finally getting it worked out

cake table

bride's bouquet...hydrangea, roses, orchids, calla lilies

how beautiful is her cake? i loved it!

totally unique and looked wonderful

inside the reception at Ridge Valley Farms

http://www.ridgevalleyfarms.com/

a shot of our table (we got to sit with the bride and groom).

all the tables were named after ballparks and we got crackerjack as a favor.

some of the tables had tall centerpieces that held our bridesmaid bouqets

this was were the bridal party processed for the wedding.

we started at the top where this picture was taken

and walked all the way down to the gazebo, where the ceremony was.

beautiful

ceremony site

Ridge Valley Farms

beautiful arrangements on the buffet

cool signature plate they will have fired

cute wedding program

some of the 'maids:

jennifer graham, katie perkins, christy gullikson

wedding party with the bride and groom

brendan mcnulty (ali's younger brother) with his gf nichole

meghan, ali, and mrs. mcnulty

ali and brendan

bride dancing with daddy to James Taylor's

Carolina In My Mind

about to cut the cake, which was delicious.

bottom layer was white cake with strawberry filling,

middle layer was chocolate cake with fudge filling.

you know i tried both!

tasting the cake, there was only a little icing-face smearing

the traditional champagne swig

at the end of the night, after a few hours of dancing

PARTY!

my bestie, the bride! what a great wedding!