Potter Survey

Well, it's not the most detailed survey in the world, but it works.

Here's how you do it...it's extremely simple!

-Go to the "Potter in a Nutshell" blog and scoll through all of the Harry Potter Sightings.
-Pick your favorite, and remember the "Potter Sighting" number
-Click on the link below, and select your most favorite Potter Sighting from the drop down box.

-After you have selected your favorite, click "Continue".

Click Here to take the survey

Potter in a Nutshell

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Here are the quick links to all of The Harry Potter Challenge entries over the summer.

Please comment on your favorite!

The Harry Potter Challenge

Potter Sighting #s 1 - 3

Potter Sighting # 4

Potter Sighting #s 5 - 7

Potter Sighting #s 7a - 9

Potter Sighting #s 10 - 36

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Potter Sighting Update / Completion

So, it seems that vacation was a success when it comes to capturing some people at their best! I will go ahead and tell you that The Harry Potter Challenge has been completed. I have broken up them up into sections for your viewing entertainment.

The first section (#s10-22) are of people that I actually know. The second section (#s 23-36) are of ones that will definitely need an explanation. Don't worry, we didn't hold anyone down to get the picture, but we did bribe them!

I have been told that there needs to be a survey done on who will actually WIN the Harry Potter Challenge. I will be working on that here in the next week or so.

In the meantime, I do hope you enjoy!

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Potter Sighting #s 10 - 22

Potter Sighting # 10Just for the record, Brian is a trooper. This is my cousin-in-law, and I have only ever met him once before this visit. I'm sure he was thinking, "Oh great! My wife's extended family is absolutely insane!" Guess what, Brian! You're right! We lost our minds quite some time ago! Thanks for playing!

Potter Sighting #11My cousin, Allison! You always were my favorite cousin, you know. I can remember thinking of how cool you were because you had four million Chuck E. Cheese tickets that you could redeem for some "spectacular" prize! It's so funny the memories that we have when we are kids! I can only hope to be as cool as you one day. : )

Potter Sighting #12Oh, Abigail! You are so tired of having your picture taken, aren't ya honey! She's got to be thinking, "Here comes that woman with crazy hair again! Mommy? Help?"

Potter Sighting # 13 Uncle Sam...I only hope that my Sam can be as good of a man as you! You're one in a million! Muah!

Potter Sighting # 14I have no idea who this woman is. She insisted on being a part of The Harry Potter Challenge because she had heard of its popularity on FOX News! She actually chased the minivan down somewhere in Southwest Virginia while holding a Publisher's Clearinghouse Notice and demanded that she be part of the game. Whatever lady, ya crazy loon! You're part of the game now! Happy?!?!

~~~Love you~~~

Potter Sighting # 15Good ole' Elle. Poor thing. All she wanted to do was chase the tennis ball. Silly humans!

Potter Sighting # 16Nonee had no idea what we were doing to her. All she knew was that it was absolutely hilarious. Aunt Corny just kept laughing, so Nonee kept laughing. This one was quite possibly the most fun I had taking. You'd never know it, but she has 22 Great Grandchildren! Awesome lady.

Potter Sighting # 17

I feel sure that Bart hates me now, and I can completely understand. Poor guy. My camera had a severe delay on it, so every time Bart saw the red-eye flash, he assumed that the picture had been taken. Ultimately, we took about 5 pictures. Sorry, Bart. Blame Patti! : )

Potter Sighting # 18

Speaking of Patti....It was SO NICE to see you in good spirits! You look great...even with the Harry Potter Glasses on! Wuv you, pookie!

Potter Sighting # 19

Katie's eyes are red for a reason! She hates nearly everyone but Patti, sometimes Bart, and occasionally Cody! Sammy just cries when he sees her, but when it comes to Patti, there's no one better! That's her Mommy, and she is very clear about that!

Potter Sighting # 20

Poor Log dog..I mean, Wally! We're rootin' for ya pup! Keep up the exercise and healthy eating, and you'll be at your goal weight in no time! Look at it this way. You've already lost 2 or 3 neck rolls, so at least you can itch your legs which, by the way, we can see again! In no time, you'll be able to do all sorts of things! You're an encouragement to us all!

Potter Sighting # 21

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday, Dear Mojo! Happy Birthday to you!

Potter Sighting # 22

Oh, the things we do to you, Susie and what you put up with. It's only going to get worse, sweet puppy. Emily will be here in no time!

And this concludes the "I know these people" portion of the Harry Potter Challenge.

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The "I have NO idea who these people are" section.

So, Rusty and Cody decided that they would participate in The Challenge with me. I'm so glad that they did. It has just made this experience all the better. We were at a mall in Roanoke, VA. We had just finished eating lunch, and I had to "shuttle" a few family members across the street to my Nonee's apartment. I left the "Boys" at the mall with the camera and the glasses.

I was gone for 8 minutes, and these are the result of some serious talking.

TEN PEOPLE AGREED TO LET THEM TAKE THEIR PICTURE!!!

Rusty told all of these people that they were part of a project that Cody had to turn in at the beginning of the next school year. One lady actually questioned him, with "What class is it for?" My quick thinking hubby said that it was for "Civics" class. I don't even know if Cody's school even offers a "Civics" class, but nonetheless, here they are. Random strangers posing for the camera with these ridiculous glasses.

Woo Hoo!! Jackpot! The Harry Potter Challenge is Complete! Thanks, boys!

Potter Sighting #s 23 - 36

This last section was just silliness (if the rest of the Challenge wasn't considered silly, that is).

These are glasses holders that Aunt Corny saw in Wal-Mart. At that point, we didn't know if we had enough participants in the challenge, so this was basically insurance. I still like the one with the saggy boobs (the 3rd one)! That's hysterical that Wal-Mart would advertise the sale of glasses on some "saggy boobed figurine". Ha!

I'd like to thank you all for participating in The Harry Potter Challenge this summer(even if you didn't know you were a participant). It certainly has been a blast! I'll have to think of something really good for next year, so beware. I'll be back.

Bald Men Are Wonderful

I know. I am procrastinating. I REALLY need to put pictures of our vacation, The Harry Potter Challenge, and some other random stuff on the blog, but I just can't find the inspiration. I am SO TIRED! I have been covering someones vacation this week, so I have been getting out of bed somewhere around 2:00am every day. It's not easy to just switch your schedule right in the middle of things, and then come back to it as if nothing has happened all while being pregnant!

Again, as I procrastinate, I would like to spread the word. I have been introduced to, by far, the most wonderful device in my life!

Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser has just made my world that much easier! I don't want to go into detail about filthy my bathtub was, so just trust me on this...

Normally, it would take me quite some time to clean our bathtub up what with the iron in our water coupled with soap scum, but last night, I broke out Mr. Clean's Eraser. I think my cousin, Allison, told me how wonderful the erasers were, so about a week ago, I bought a two-pack. I also got a Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner that my Aunt Corny swears by. (Thank you, by the way... LOVE IT!)

When I broke out the eraser, I read the instructions because I didn't want to have to worry about any bad chemicals being that I am preggers and all. I opened the pack, and I didn't even smell anything. I have no idea how this thing works or what cleans what, but I felt safe using it.

I put my hair back and got to work. I fully expected to be in the bathroom for an eternity because that is my usual timing on this project. Believe me, this is a project unlike any other, but, nope. Not this time! That bad boy cleaned my entire shower in less than 10 minutes, and I couldn't even tell that I have an iron problem! Woo Hoo!!!!!

I have always loved bald men....I just added Mr. Clean to my list!

Just Funny!

Election Coverage 2008

A friend of mine showed me this. I can't believe it!

Click on the link below:

Rebekah Corley for President?

I Found My Camera, But My Mind Is Still Missing!

Okay, so after almost a week of sheer panic at the thought that my camera that held ALL of our vacation pictures, and not to mention, The Harry Potter Challenge pictures that we got while we were ON vacation was missing, I finally found the silly thing.

It was in the van!

Seriously?

I LOOKED IN THE VAN!!!!

Wow. I swear, I am getting more and more senile as the days go on!

My dear, sweet cousin, Allison took some awesome pictures for me while we were on vacation, and we have been going back and forth with trying to get the pictures to come through email so that I could at least have those! I think my email is just as wacked as I am sometimes because she tried sending them 600 times, and it never worked right. Finally, she gave up, but because she knew that my camera was missing, she spent who knows how long putting the pictures on a CD for me so that I could have some vacation pictures! I feel horrible now! I found the camera literally an hour after she told me that she sent the CD. Oh good grief!

Here's a shout out to ya cuz! You ROCK!!

Now, if I could just find my brush!

Week 21

Rebekah's update for Week 21:

So, it's back to work for me. No more lazy days are in my immediate future! It was SO nice to have a break from the every day grind, but I'm glad to be back. It gives me a sense of "normalcy" if you can call it that.

Week 21 has been a "booger bear". I have officially started feeling Emily move about on a VERY consistent basis. At least once an hour, if I am sitting still, I can feel her bouncing around, doing the back stroke, or whatever it is that she is doing in there. We have been able to feel Emily through my big ole' belly too! It's been so much fun.

The weirdest part of Week 21? I had about 3 days that my legs (from the knees down) itched uncontrollably! It was to the point that I couldn't sleep. I was waking Rusty up to scratch one of my legs while I scratched the other! Oh, good grief! I am SO glad that it is over. It was miserable. The doctor said that I could take Benedryl, so I took a VERY small dose of it, and it helped to relieve it a little bit. I can't believe how miserable I was for those 3 days.

Other than my leg issue, Week 21 was good. Oh yeah! I changed the baby ticker at the top of the website. Every week, some sarcastic remark will let you all know what the baby is up to!!! Enjoy!

**WARNING TO THE SQUEAMISH**

-This quite possibly is too much information for you-

This is the update from the Website: Week 21

Your Baby's Development
The amniotic fluid that has cushioned and supported your baby in the uterus now serves another purpose. The intestines have developed enough that small amounts of sugars can be absorbed from the fluid that is swallowed and passed through the digestive system to the large bowel. Almost all of your baby's nourishment, however, still comes from you through the placenta.
Until now your baby's liver and spleen have been responsible for the production of blood cells. But now the bone marrow spaces are developed enough to contribute to blood cell formation as well, and bone marrow will become the major site of blood cell production in the third trimester and after birth. (The spleen will stop producing blood cells by week 30, and the liver will stop a few weeks before birth.)

Your Body
Is exercise safe during pregnancy? Exercise can be a great way to stay in shape during pregnancy and can even keep some symptoms — such as varicose veins, excessive weight gain, and backache — to a minimum. But pregnancy is not the time to start training for a triathlon — going slowly is the name of the game. Because ligaments become more relaxed during pregnancy, you're at higher risk for injury, so low- or non-impact exercise such as yoga, swimming, and walking are your best bets. Talk to your health care provider before beginning any exercise program while you're pregnant.

Where's My Mind?

I am beside myself.

I have some AWESOME pictures of the family on my camera that were taken over vacation. Guess what? I can't find the camera ANYWHERE!!! I know that it is in my house, somewhere, but I can't seem to hone in on it. Rusty said that he's gonna install a "Clapper" on it so that I can find it. I usually lose the camera at least once a week, but I've not seen it since Monday night! I never lose it for THIS LONG!!

Not only are there some really good family pictures on there, the pictures for The Harry Potter Challenge were on there as well.

Blah!

Countdown

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Ultrasound...

It seems that little Emily Faith is already a "Corley". Corleys are extremely stubborn people, and she gave us the run around on finding all of her important "parts". She wanted NOTHING to do with being bothered. She was perfectly fine in the spot that she had found, and was rather irritated that we were spying on her. Finally, the Tech said that she was 80% sure that we had a girl on our hands. I asked her that if she were to buy me something for the baby, what color would it be. She said, "Pink." That was all I needed to hear.

They tell you to drink a ton of liquid before your ultrasound. Being the over-achiever that I am, the Tech that performed the ultrasound made me get up and go to the bathroom the second that she started. My bladder was 5 times the normal size. I was wondering why it hurt so bad. I just figured that it was all psychological. She made me go a 2nd time because my bladder was filling up so fast! Good grief!

We are so excited that we will have another little girl! I recently bought a "Girly" purse that I really liked, but only because of Aunt Corny. I don't typically take my purse out of the car, but Aunt Corny said that I would need it to double as a diaper bag. She was so certain that we were having a girl that she said she would buy the purse back from me if the baby turned out to be a boy. Tough, Aunt Corny! It's my "girly" purse now!!!

The due date has been changed from 11/27/08 (Thanksgiving Day) to 11/25/08. The other two have been early, but just by a few days, so we'll see! Don't worry, we can still refer to her as "Turkey Baby". I think it's one of those nicknames that will be around for quite some time.

We can't wait for Emily to be born! More than halfway done now!

Week 19 & Week 20

Rebekah's Update for Week 19 & Week 20:

We went on vacation for half of each of these weeks. Travelling was not all that difficult, but my hips did have to be realigned several times throughout the week. It seems that they like to pop out of joint when I am preggers. We went to Smith Mountain Lake, VA where my Aunt Corny and Uncle Sam live, and let's just say that my eating habits would not have been approved of by any Weight Watchers Member by any stretch. Aunt Corny says, "It's vacation! We don't normally eat like this!" I consider that a justifiable statement!

We find out the sex of the baby today. I agree with Rusty, that we want a healthy baby, but there's always one sex that you would prefer. I have said from the beginning that this one is a girl. I hope, for Rachel's sake, that this one's a girl. I have never seen her want anything more. It's also an opportunity for me to get that baby girl bonding that I missed in the past. On the flip side, we already have everything "boy" that we could ever need, so we wouldn't have to buy anything. Cody, however, can only hope for another brother. If this one turns out to be a girl, this will be Cody's 4th sister! He's VERY tired of sisters. I can remember how annoying my brother was when I was 15. I can only imagine having 4 little brothers. BLAH!

**WARNING TO THE SQUEAMISH**
-This quite possibly is too much information for you-

This is the update from the website: Week 19

Your Baby's Development
Your baby is now covered with a white, waxy substance called vernix caseosa, which helps prevent delicate skin from becoming chapped or scratched. Premature babies may be covered in this cheesy coating at delivery.
Your baby is still tiny, but this week brings the development of brown fat, which will help keep your baby warm after birth. During the last trimester, your baby will add more layers of fat for warmth and protection.

Your Body
Your constant concern for your baby's health may give way to reassurance if you feel your baby's first movements, which often happens between weeks 18 and 20. These first movements are known as quickening, and they may feel like butterflies in your stomach or a growling stomach. Later in your pregnancy, you'll feel kicks, punches, and possibly hiccups! Each baby has different movement patterns, but if you're concerned or if the movements have decreased in frequency or intensity, talk to your doctor.
Many women wonder around this time whether having sex will hurt their developing baby, and the answer is no. Sex is considered safe at all stages of pregnancy, as long as your pregnancy is normal. But that doesn't necessarily mean you're going to want to have it. Many expectant women find that their desire for sex fluctuates during the various stages of pregnancy, depending on their fatigue, growing size, anxiousness over the birth, and a host of other body changes. Keep the lines of communication with your partner open as these issues come up. Even though you may both be preoccupied with the baby, it's also important to have some "together time."

Here is the update from the Website: Week 20

Your Baby's Development
You're halfway there! Twenty weeks into your pregnancy, your baby has grown significantly from that first dividing cell and now weighs about 11 ounces (312 grams) and measures about 6.3 inches (16 cm) from crown to rump. The baby is taking up increasing room in your uterus, and continued growth will put pressure on your lungs, stomach, bladder, and kidneys.
Under the vernix caseosa (a protective, waxy coating), your baby's skin is thickening and developing layers. Hair and nail growth continue.

Your Body
If you haven’t already had one, your health care provider may recommend that you receive an ultrasound, a diagnostic test that uses sound waves to create an image. An ultrasound can determine the size and position of the fetus, and any structural abnormalities of bones and organs that are visible by this time. Depending on the position of the fetus, the sex can usually be determined by now. During an ultrasound, the umbilical cord, placenta, and amniotic fluid can also be examined. Talk to your health care provider about the risks and advantages of this test.

Potter Sighting #s 7a, 8 & 9

Jackpot....AGAIN!!! The Harry Potter Challenge keeps going!

Potter Sighting # 7A

Cody got his hair cut, so I've added an updated Potter Sighting to the list. Don't worry, I've not counted it twice. I know that it wouldn't be fair. The funny part? He let me take his picture....twice!

Potter Sighting # 8

This is Cody's friend, Chauncey. Cody and Chauncey have been friends for a little over 5 years now. Once Cody gets to town, Chauncey is at the door. Chauncey is part of the family. My theory? You eat at the Corley's, you help take out the trash! He's wonderful when it comes to "Corleys"

Potter Sighting # 9

Gotta love my Mother-in-Law! Gail, in her own way, asked if she really had to participate in the Harry Potter Challenge, and before she could finish, I had the glasses on her face. I did tell her, though, that if she didn't like the picture, we could always delete it! She reluctantly agreed, but I still got a great smile out of her!

We are heading for the Lake tonight to visit family. I'm hoping to get at least 5 or 6 more. I'm pretty sure that they will still be my family once I make them give me their pictures!!

At least I hope so!

Previous Potter Sightings

Potter Sighting #s 1, 2, & 3

Potter Sighting # 4

Potter Sighting #s5, 6, & 7