Bye Bye Ipsi, Bye Bye Summer

Last night I went to a farewell party in the city to send off my good friend Ipsi who is moving across the country. It was a fun, but emotional evening. Ipsi, if you are reading this, I want you to know that you will be incredibly missed, but I know that California has wonderful things in  store for you. The west coast better watch out...the UMass Party Planner is coming your way! 

It makes me think of my favorite quote from my favorite episode of Sex and the City:

"Seasons change, so do cities. People come into your life and people go, but it's comforting to know: the ones you love are always in your heart and if you're very lucky, a plane ride away."

So again, Ipsi, if you're reading this, know that you are never far away from me because you are always in my heart. 

It looks like this will be my final post of the summer. It is September 1st, and in my head, that means it's the start of fall. I bought Dunks' pumpkin coffee today and everything. Fall is actually my favorite time of year, even though as a teacher you wouldn't think that to be true. To me, fall is new beginnings, but it's comfort at the same time. 

So while this will be my last post of this blog there just may be a baby blog starting sometime in February...

I better watch my language...

Because the baby can hear me now! So amazing!

Here you go sports fans, the weekly baby stats:

• Baby is approximately the size of an avocado 
• 4.6 inches, 3.5 oz
• Baby can hear my voice
• Baby is growing more hair, eyelashes and eyebrows
• Baby is developing taste buds (love it - already a food connoisseur!)

Hump Day, Bump Day

I know when you are not officially working you probably have no right to call Wednesday "Hump Day" but that's what it is on TB (The Bump for you non-preggos). 

Sorry I have been absent the last couple of days. I'm pretty much transitioning into my fall routine and have been going into school getting things ready. I actually love being in my classroom. I feel really calm and happy there. It's a pretty pleasant place to be - colorful and homey! I hope I have a great group of kids this year. I know last year's crew was pretty darn awesome and I miss them very much. I hope I get some visitors that first week. I'm bursting to tell them the good news.

I have definitely felt as if I have grown a lot the last few days. I literally can feel it when I wake up in the morning. So for those of you that do not see me regularly, here is my bump picture:



I will be 16 weeks tomorrow! I can't believe it!

And I wish people would STOP telling me I don't look pregnant! I look significantly bigger than I did before I was so that just means I look FAT! Come on - you see the evidence - that's definitely a knocked up belly right?!

Whoa Baby!

So I thought I was already rocking a little mini-bump which in my mind was "showing", but when I woke up this morning I found a whole new meaning of that word. 

I have been reading about women who just "pop" overnight and I think that's what happened. A little TMI, first thing in the morning I had to take a whizz so powerful you would have thought I had a 6 pack of beer the night before. However, after I relieved myself I still felt heavy in the abdomen. I looked in the mirror and cried out, "Holy Mackerel!" I had a distinct baby bump.

Now don't get too excited - I still don't look like I'm 7 months along or anything, but my guess is over the next week or so I may be getting "When are you due?" comments from strangers.

(I certainly hope so. It's better than, "Did you drink a 6 pack of beer last night?")

Back to School...(Almost)

I went into school today to finally unload all the school supplies that have been in my car for a month and to start putting my classroom together. I ended up being there for something like six hours, because the first three that I was there I was yakking it up! Teachers are extremely chatty creatures. I also got a chance to tell my principal the good news, and get this - her daughter is also expecting, and is due on Valentine's Day! So funny! It felt good to be back. I'll probably go in a little every day now until the year officially begins. I'm really excited about it, but it is definitely odd to start the year knowing that I'm only going to be working for about 5 months. 

So then I'm walking out of the building in a great mood..when SPLAT. I fell. I fell right on my butt. Apparently they were waxing, and since it was 6pm and there were no other people in the building other than me and the custodians, there wasn't a bright yellow caution sign or anything. I didn't hurt myself...both my rear and my right hand broke the fall, but I still got slightly panicked that I may have hurt Baby. Now, hours later, I still feel physically fine and my fear has subsided. I posted on the Bump, and some of those lovely ladies chimed in and said that as long as I didn't fall on my belly, there's really no cause for alarm. Also, my sister in law lent us her home doppler, so Kevin and I were able to listen to the heartbeat, so I know little one is alive and kicking. Still, it was a pretty scary experience.

I'll definitely have to walk cautiously when I go back tomorrow. Either that or bring ice skates!

Wedding Dress Shopping!

So even though it was for somebody else, it was still a ton of fun! 

Today I was very lucky to be invited to go wedding dress shopping with Rebecca and her mother. I still love entering bridal salons and seeing all the beautiful white gowns. I now have yet another reason why I'd love to have a daughter...or at the very least, an extremely kind daughter-in-law! I had my MIL there when I got my gown, so maybe I've developed some good karma.

Anyhow, Rebecca looked beautiful in every dress she put on, but there was one in particular I knew she thought was "the one". You could see it in her face when she tried it on, especially the second time. With a big smile and eyes sparkling, she said "yes to the dress" and I was so excited to be a part of it.

On an unrelated note, I cannot stop going into the nursery. It still blows my mind every time I enter the room. In less than six months, I'll have a baby. This time next year, I'll have a six month old baby. And in less than one month, I'll know if I've been carrying little Julia or little Rory. I know I bluster a lot about wanting a girl, and of course I do. I want a girl for all the superficial reasons that any woman wants - the cute clothes and frilly, girly things. But obviously I'd still be super happy with a boy. And he'd be very lucky. He would most likely be voted "Best Dressed Boy" in his middle school yearbook! 

Glider Quest

Today my mother and I went on a quest to find a glider to go with the rest of our nursery decor. The choices at Babies R Us were a little too big and pricey for my liking. I got a tip to check Walmart because they had some pretty cheap deals. The website had a nice looking option for only $100. But before we ultimately decided to just order one from online, we must have checked half a dozen stores looking for this particular item. Who knew it would be so difficult?! So of course, we are going with the Walmart glider, but I think it's perfect for the space and the natural wood matches really well with the crib and changing table. 



It's so awesome to be completing the nursery! I keep walking in the room just to look at it. It's funny because we never used that room for anything before, and now it will be our baby's room! 

Woo woo!!

It's been another busy/exciting/eventful weekend!

Friday night I went to a good ol' fashioned sleepover party with my pals Jess, Ipsi, and Pam. We had a little celebration to commemorate Pam's wedding on Tuesday and Saturday night was the main party event in the city at the same club where she met her now husband. Our NYC friend Helen also made the trip up so the whole college gang was together and that was AWESOME because it's so rare that we can all get together at once. I was definitely getting nostalgic this weekend, reminiscing about the fact that these girls have been my friends for 10 years. That's pretty impressive. 

In between, on Saturday afternoon, Kevin, my mother and I went to my brother's house for my little nephew's 2nd birthday. It was an adorable, truck-themed party. I was extra happy to spend a little cuddle time with my youngest nephew who is about 5 months. I was making him laugh and smile and it was the best feeling. I need to spend more time around babies because the more I do the less terrified I am of them! They just seem so fragile to me!

And then today, Kevin and I built our crib and changing table which arrived way earlier than anticipated. Well, Kevin did most of the building, but I was an excellent assistant if I do say so myself. 

Here's the finished product:

Last Day of Camp!

And actually, it was my last day teaching kids yoga for a while. 

After much thought in consideration, I have decided to take a break from teaching kids yoga. First of all, the beginning of the school year is always really hectic, and with the baby coming and all I don't want to take on too much. (Something I am an expert at!) And even though it's really only a few extra hours a week, I would like to have them back. I want to make my pregnancy as stress free as possible, and that includes giving myself a break.

I'll go back to it down the road. It is something I truly enjoy doing. In fact, both Y directors and the camp director I work with have all told me to keep in touch and I know I'd be able to find a spot again when the time is right. It was a very nice feeling though to know I have been appreciated. 

I went out with a bang today too. The kids at camp were really terrific. I got so many hugs and thank yous that it made me feel so special and grateful for the opportunity. One girl even said, "I hope your baby has a wonderful life." What a sweetie!

So for all the kids I've taught yoga to out there since I started this adventure, from the bottom of my heart, I give you all a resounding

NAMASTE!

My Fabulous Weekend!

So Saturday to Sunday morning I went on a little girls' getaway weekend down to Rhode Island with my friend Jess. It was supposed to be a beach trip but the forecast predicted on and off thunderstorms. Instead of being bummed, we took a detour to the outlets. I know, I know, I am supposed to be saving, and I am. I didn't spend that much and got a few great deals. The best find was when visiting the Motherhood Maternity outlet. I found a super cute   belted dress that is perfect for work and makes my mini-bump look quite flattering. I think it just may be this year's first day of school dress! When we got to the hotel, it wasn't raining so we lounged around the pool for a while before gorging ourselves on mountainous platters of appetizers that seemed like a great idea for dinner. Add a trip to Ihop the next morning and the whole shebang was a big hit.

Then on Sunday, my mother, who very graciously offered to buy our baby's crib, wanted to take advantage of the tax free weekend so we took a trip to Babies R Us. I literally was exploding with baby mania! We ended up finding a beautiful crib that will later convert to a toddler bed and a day bed as well, and we also found a matching changing table. Somehow, buying the nursery furniture made everything so real and exciting. My nesting instinct was in overdrive! I can't wait to find out the sex so we can decorate. I want to do a jungle theme if it's a boy and a garden theme if it's a girl. 

And now I am into the second trimester which is supposed to be the best part of the whole pregnancy! I'm pretty jazzed to be here!

Such an eventful, exciting weekend!

But unfortunately, you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out what it was about!

Sooooo exhausted but incredibly happy.

Baby is a mover and shaker already!

I had my second doctor's appointment today and I got to hear the heartbeat! It was the most amazing sound I have ever heard. It was strong and fast! It was funny too because they could find the heartbeat easily, but then the baby would jump around and they'd have to find it again. They said it was great the heartbeat was so easily detected because sometimes early on it can be difficult, and it was also reported that the baby is "very active" already considering he/she was moving all around. So cute! My yoga instructor Susan always jokes that the baby will come out doing headstands. Maybe she's not too far off!

I am in such awe still. I have my heartbeat, but then another heartbeat inside of me. It's so beautiful. Seeing the heartbeat on the ultrasound last time was incredible, but hearing it was indescribable. I feel even closer to the baby. 

Shoot. Now I'm getting teary-eyed.

Wonderful Afternoon

Today was really nice. I woke up this morning with no big plans so I decided to call my dad and see if he was free for a visit. He recently moved closer to me so this was the first time I was able to drop by spontaneously. He was super excited when I called, which of course, made me very glad I did. We went to lunch and ate outside looking over the ocean. It was a beautiful day for that. My dad, aka George Hamilton, claimed he was "losing his tan" which is physically impossible. The man is dark in December. Me, on the other hand, well I got a sunburn on my shoulders - go figure! Afterwards we went back to his place and sat out on the balcony eating Klondike Bars, his freezer staple. So good! The second he said the words "Klondike Bar" my eyes got really wide and I started salivating a little. 

On my way home I stopped by Target to pick up a couple things. Target always makes my day a little brighter. I found some cute, giant, pink clothespins in the dollar section to use as passes in my classroom! And speaking of Target, since we are trying our best to save every penny now, I have come up with a Whole Foods-Target compromise because my grocery trips were getting quite pricey. All of our produce, meat and dairy I'm going to get at Whole Foods, and then any other staple, cereal, bread, pasta, etc, I'll get at Target. That will even things out a bit cost-wise and we'll still get to eat healthy!

I'm in Love!

I am completely infatuated with a stroller and matching pack 'n' play that I found! The stroller is awesome. It's a "traveler" which means that first you put the baby in a car seat and wheel them around that way and then as the baby grows it becomes a more typical stroller. This way, you don't need to buy more than one! It's also a super-cute pattern that would work for both boys and girls. 


And then in the same pattern, I found a 4 in 1 pack 'n' play which is a bassinet, mini changing table, vibrating rocker and play pen combination. So cool!


I was originally going to wait until I found out the sex before I started registering, but I am feeling the registry itch already! Looking at baby things is so addictive. I thought it would just be that way for the clothes, but it turns out everything baby is exciting!

I'm really happy to be in this mood too because after I posted yesterday, everything sort of came to head and went boiling over and out my eyeballs. Previously, I have been lucky and really haven't been too emotional, which I know is pretty surprising. Well, I must have been saving it all up or something because my poor husband woke up to me sitting on the floor of our closet crying my heart out. I couldn't even articulate words for about ten minutes when finally I exclaimed/screeched, "I have no idea what I'm doing!!!"

Kevin then smartly pointed out that no one knows what they're doing at first. We all just needed to figure it out as we go. I know this is true - it's just a difficult pill to swallow for someone like me who likes to figure everything out in advance, thus the emotional breakdown. 

I feel much, much better now, but it felt darn good to have a nice, solid cry about it. 

I am so pregnant, it's not even funny!

Whining for Wine at a Wedding

Last night I went to Kevin's cousins wedding. The location was gorgeous. It was right on the water and the weather was beautiful with a nice ocean breeze. The ceremony was lovely and I even got a little weepy. Something about a woman in a wedding dress brings tears to my eyes, and I had never even met this lady before!


Probably the biggest plus to the whole evening was that I got to hang out with my pal Lindsey all night (shout out girl!). I haven't seen her since the last day of school - I can't believe it - so we had lots to catch up on. It was also cool that another fellow pregnant lady was at our table. She was having her second, so it was nice to be able to chat with her and ask for some of her expertise. And then she said something that rang more and more true as the night went on:


"These things are always hard when you can't drink."


Amen sister. Now, most of you readers know me pretty well, so you know that I am not an alcoholic but I love my vino. Last night, I have never wanted wine more in my entire life. Even just a sip. Anything. I even went so far as to smell Kevin's French red. It was like I had never smelled anything sweeter. See without that warm and fuzzy blanket of a wine buzz, my dancing inhibitions were not lowered enough for me to really cut loose - that and the dance floor was crooked and I had on huge heels. I tried dancing but it started to look like that scene in Titanic and the boat splits in two. I also kept feeling self-conscious that after everything I ate, my tummy was growing to enormous sizes. However, the ice cream bar they had set up was totally worth it. 


I was watching the bridesmaids party it up and I started to wonder if that ship has sailed for me. And then I watched the mother of the cutest toddler I have ever seen in my life and couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I guess I just felt kind of stuck in pregnancy limbo.


And please don't misunderstand - I am overjoyed at becoming a mother. It's just that the transition period is not all the sunshine and rainbows that I thought. It can be pretty confusing at times.

Awaiting Bump

As of today I am on week 12 of my pregnancy, which means now my uterus has started to rise above the pelvic bone. I can actually feel it, low down on my abdomen. Most likely within the upcoming weeks, I will start getting a baby bump! There's really no way to tell though. Some women start showing now, and others don't really pop until their sixth or seventh month. Still, I'm glad I have a bunch of maternity clothes on hand just in case. It's weird, part of me really wants a bump, but then when I get comments like, "You're pregnant? You don't look it! Wow!", it makes me happy. I think I really just don't want that in between phase. The part where people look at you and go, "Is she having a baby or just get fat?". Luckily, I'm a blabbermouth so hopefully word just spreads around quickly and puts any fat rumors to bed fast. 


I was supposed to go to the dermatologist today and get a mole removed on my leg, and I did go, but the doc and I both decided to hold off until I get the go-ahead from my OB, the fabulous Dr. B. I felt kind of bad I wasted his time, but he was really sweet and gave me a lot of good wishes. It worked out well though because the dermatologist office is in the same plaza as my favorite Italian bakery. I stopped in and got a giant M&M cookie, you know, the ones as big as your face. GLORIOUS! I ate it with a tall glass of milk and watched a Lifetime movie on my couch. Pretty sweet life!

I couldn't write more today because...

I was too busy reading my Jodi Picoult library book. Seriously, that woman writes books that are as addictive as crack...or at least as addictive as ice cream to a pregnant lady! And she has so many of them. Damn! I want to be the next Jodi Picoult! Sure, all her books are kind of similar in formula but they are compulsively readable. I could not stop myself!

Anyone have a favorite J.P. book?

Cravings

I have not yet officially broken out the maternity wear, but as the day progressed, my jeans had become more uncomfortable. It's not bump, just bloat - comes and goes with meals, but still the discomfort is different from, let's say, packing on a couple extra pounds during the holidays. I decided to try my BeBand which goes over your regular, but unbuttoned pants. GLORIOUS! Really comfortable. In fact, I'm thinking of just carrying it around with me in my purse from now on, so I can break it out when needed. 


I also am surprised at the amount of time I spend daydreaming about food. This is my current craving list:


1. Muffins (we've been watching a lot of old episodes of Scrubs and Dr. Kelso has them all the time - it's making me crazy!)


2. Chicken salad (I tend to want things again even if I've just had them and this was my lunch today.)


3. Cheddar cheese Combos 


Any of these things would be amazing right about now...but because I don't want to end up a whale, I'll just have to count the minutes until breakfast. Who knows? Maybe I'll treat myself to a muffin then.

Finally!

At long last we were able to tell Kevin's parents about the baby! It was absolutely worth the wait though. Their reactions were positively priceless. They both simultaneously burst into tears and then sandwiched me in a great big hug. It was so sweet! It's really wonderful to realize that not only is this baby bringing me and Kevin joy, it's a source of happiness for others as well. 


I'm itching to find out if it's a boy or girl too. I am dying to shop for baby clothes, but I'm not a big fan of all the gender neutral stuff. We'll find out on September 20th, so just in time for my birthday - and the big gift to myself will be a giant shopping spree at Babies R Us! My only baby purchase so far (admittedly advanced) has been ordering dozens of Berenstain Bear books online. I loved them as a kid and I want to be able to read them to the little one. 


Not too much else to report. Camp went very well again today which was nice. It looks like last Monday may have been a fluke thing, but I don't want to jinx myself! 

Yay Shopping!!

I went maternity clothes shopping today and it was really, really fun! I ended up finding a lot of great items. I went to Old Navy, Gap and Target. Jess was an excellent shopping partner and picked out a super cute pair of maternity jeans at the Gap. They were really flattering already with tons of room to grow! I honestly might start wearing them now. They were so comfortable. Special bonus - I felt sexy in them! Wooo! I also found 2 two cardigans on clearance at Old Navy for $11.50 each so I got a black one and a tan one. I got several stretchy, yet adorable tops and a dress that feels like pajamas. Lastly, I did get one of those bands to put on top of your regular pants. It was definitely a win! 


My goal is to be mom-to-be-chic. I feel like I am known a lot for my fashion sense and outfits, especially among the students, so I don't want to of start off the school year looking dowdy and frumpy. Call it vain or superficial, but it is still very important for me to look good and to be well dressed. But after today I think I am off to a good start! Plus I can probably still wear a lot of my other clothes for while - I'll just be rocking the bump before you know it!

Schoolgirl Crush

I took a mini-roadtrip down to Rhode Island today to take class with one of my former Open Doors yoga instructors. As many of you know, I have a massive crush on this guy. Kevin even jokes that he's my "yoga boyfriend". I think the funny thing about it is, it truly is the kind of crush you have when you're twelve. My heart starts fluttering right before I see him, I start rambling and blushing when I talk to him, and when he introduced me to someone today as "my good friend Andrea" I think I may have actually swooned. My adolescent-acting brain was like "Oh my God - he called me his good friend...YES!". But in all seriousness, he is a great yoga instructor and I've learned a lot from him during the course of my yoga journey. It's definitely worth the time once in a while for me to drive down there to see him. 


And now I am off to an Olympics Party at Rebecca's. I tried a new recipe for a savory muffin - Garlic and Sun Dried Tomato Corn Muffins. Hopefully they taste good because they do look good. Very bright and cheerful. :-)

I am turning in to a huge nerd...

I went back to the library today, which is now becoming something of a weekly ritual. Last week I checked out 3 books and finished them in about 8 days, so today I upped myself and checked out 5! Carrying 5 library books makes you look supremely nerdy because they're hardcover and slippery from the plastic covering on them. You will look like an even bigger dork when you spill them onto the counter and ask the librarian, "Is there a limit?" which is exactly what I did. NERD ALERT! 


I'm totally embracing it though because all this reading has been making me want to write more. I finished my short story and just uploaded it and sent it off to the short fiction contest. This is a publication that receives tons and tons of submissions so I'm not counting on winning anything. I'm just glad I'm throwing my work back out there again.


I continued with my book theme by cleaning out my book shelf. I pulled a bunch for the future yard sale I will make happen. I want to clear out all the clutter before we starting moving baby things in here. I took every single book down and dusted before reorganizing. It felt really good and now I have more space! More space for more books that I will eventually buy, but for now I'm pretty content with nerding it up at the library. 

Serendipity!

The very place I wanted to order dinner from tonight sent a $10 reward certificate in the mail today...it was food destiny!!!

Very Grateful

Camp today was so much better! All of the groups had fun and were enthusiastic. I got a bunch of "thank yous" and a "you're so nice" as I handed out plastic Hawaiian leis for our Luau theme. It was such a relief and a great boost after Monday. I also got invited out after camp next week with a couple other specialists whom I had met and hit it off with during orientation. I was really happy for the invite because they were super nice girls and I hardly ever see them except for my jaunt back to the field where my car is parked. 


(By the way did I use "whom" correctly there? Lindsey if you're reading, let me know grammar girl! :P)


So now I really should be figuring out dinner. I want to be good about saving money with Baby on the way, but the lure of takeout is beckoning to me like a siren call. Not to mention that I absolutely need a cannoli in my life right now. 

Already Thinking of September

I bought a ton of back-to-school supplies today. I didn't originally intend to do that, but once I started with a couple things, I just kept right on going. I always get sucked into the dollar section near the entrance of Target and from there it snowballed. I only need a few other items before the beginning of the school year. I know it seems kind of silly to be school shopping in July, but I also don't want to wait too long into August because then it's slim pickin's. I was especially grateful to the lovely Target employee who did not make me count out again all 140 notebooks that I was purchasing while at the checkout. The last two years I've had to count them out with the cashier and I always feel like that customer holding up the line. This lady just asked how many and called it a day. Buying school supplies is always uplifting. It just brings about feelings of new promise. My favorite purchase of the day was a blue composition book with a giant, glittery shoe on the front. This of course will be my notebook for faculty meetings. I always need to add a bit of pizzazz. 


It will definitely be weird starting the school year knowing that I'm only going to be there until February and then *poof* Motherhood. I've wrapped my brain around the fact that I'm pregnant - the fact that I would do anything for a sugar cookie right now proves it - but it's still difficult to grasp the concept that I will be a mother. Wow. Now that's a role that has new promise. 

Patience is a Virtue...

that I am still trying to cultivate. I will give myself credit and say I've definitely gotten more patient over the years, especially with the help of yoga and meditation, but some days even that doesn't help. That's pretty ironic since I was in dire need of patience today while teaching yoga. 


The unfortunate fact about the camp job is not everyone wants to do yoga. It's not like my classes at the YMCA where kids sign up specifically for yoga. Still, the last few weeks everyone had been having a good time it seemed, but I had one group today that was quite a challenge. It wasn't a group I see normally which is probably part of it. There's a block of time for "electives" so some kids end up with me even if they did not "elect" to do so. I understand that, but I totally lost my cool, and to one child in particular. My patience had just been run into the ground. Rudeness and disrespect are so difficult to tolerate, and this kid was downright rude to me. Maybe I'm just used to a school situation where the students are usually very respectful. It was just a very frustrating situation, and of course because it's me, I spent hours feeling bad about my reaction and berated myself for not being patient enough. 


When I got home I gave myself some quiet meditation time and feel a lot better. I know I cannot be perfect, but it will always be a struggle for me to jump over that hurdle and tell myself that it's okay. I look at myself as a "recovering perfectionist" and sometimes I just need to take it one day at a time.  

Nice Little Saturday

Even though I am so lucky to be off for the summer, Saturdays have still been a special day of the week, especially since the last 3 in a row we have actually had no plans. I'm not quite sure how this happened because it seemed like last summer I had something going on every weekend. But then again, I did have triple weddings going on. 


Yesterday was nothing short of delightful. It was so nice to spend a full day with my hubby. We started off by finishing up season 4 of the show Breaking Bad - intense! The finale totally blew our minds. I believe season 5 is going on now, but we'll have to wait until it comes on Netflix. I don't think we could handle only watching it once a week as it aired anyway, considering we couldn't even limit ourselves to one a day. 


Afterwards we picked up some sandwiches from our local coffee shop and went to the park. We have a beautiful park in our town that we had only been to once before in the fall and we didn't really have time to explore it. But yesterday after we had our lunch we walked along the pond they have there and hiked through some woodsy trails. One trail even took us all the way to the high school. It was so peaceful and serene. The park also has a great playground area too with equipment for younger and older children. I know it's a ways away, but I can't wait to take Baby there!


Then we moved on to grocery shopping at Whole Foods -we are now "grocery snobs" as Kevin says, but hey Doctor's, orders. She said "eat as organically as possible" and as much as I love MB, they don't have a lot of organic choices. Later on I made White Pizza with Fried Sage while simultaneously Kevin experimented with making homemade chocolate frosting. It was a huge success! We enjoyed our food with some more Netflix and eventually called it a night. 


Today I am off to yoga, then down to CT for a movie date with Lynnie. When we were in high school we would always end up at the movies on a Sunday during the summer and at first we would be like "What kind of losers go the movies on a Sunday?" but pretty soon it became our thing. I guess it still is!

I Still Got It?

So I just ran out to Cumbies because I had a major craving for Doritos and root beer. I wasn't doing much today so I was dressed in comfy clothes, jeans and an old tee from my Cape trip with the girls. It has a cassette tape on it that says "Cape Cod Mix" and in hot pink letters it says "Made in the Eighties". It's kind of a loud shirt, so I get that people are drawn to reading it, it's the nature of a graphic tee. But when I paid for my snack the young kid behind the counter was most definitely staring at my enhancing chest region. It's definitely a positive symptoms of pregnancy, but I'm totally not used to it. 


"Made in the Eighties huh?" he asked and smiled. And then for some reason I felt embarrassed and I started rambling and blurted out that I'm pregnant. I guess I wasn't expecting to get male attention from anyone other than my husband now that I'm expecting. It was weird. 


Turns out the kid is 21 (Made in the Nineties) and I started thinking about what a world of difference it is between 21 and 27. It's kind of amazing to think of what I've done in those six years:


I started my teaching career
I got my master's degree
I'm married
I have a house
I'm having a baby


Pretty nice. 


And now after all those years since reading Are you there God, it's me Margaret? I'm finally filling out!

The alternate title to this blog could have been...

My Summer Spent in Yoga Pants


Honestly. About 4 times a week when I get dressed in the morning, I start off wearing yoga pants. I'm either teaching it or practicing it. Not that I'm complaining - I'm staying active and am also comfortable. I just find it kind of funny.


Today I filled in for my friend Heather at the summer camp she works at. It was only for two hours, as opposed to my six, and it was in a big, air-conditioned space. I have to admit, that was pretty nice. It felt like an upgrade from my hot, stuffy, glorified storage shed. But I guess I'm used to hot yoga anyhow!


On the way home I stopped at the Farmer's Market again. I got some lettuce and cucumber but also a fair amount of baked goods. Does zucchini bread count as a vegetable? What about if it has carrots in it as well?

Fun with Fiction

One of my summertime goals was to write poetry, which is something that comes pretty naturally to me and is something that I absolutely love both reading and writing. Short fiction on the other hand, is something I've ventured in before, and do really enjoy, however it is definitely not something that comes naturally to me.


Yesterday, I was inspired by another one of my crazy pregnancy dreams and started writing a short story. It's kind of a bizarre dark comedy. I have no idea if it's any good, but I've really enjoyed the whole process of story writing again. I'm debating on entering it into a short fiction contest. I've tried this one in the past to no avail, but have had much better luck with my poetry. Still, I think it's a good thing to try something new. Maybe I'll go for it. The deadline is July 31st, so I better get crackin'!

Not showing yet but....

am definitely feeling my jeans get a bit more snug.


It's very strange because I've only gained like a pound and half so far. I've weighed more than I do now, but still didn't have any discomfort wearing anything. I guess I've been sticking with a lot of sundresses and yoga pants so far this summer, so this change seems so sudden. I have to admit it's a little disheartening, but I suppose it's inevitable. I can probably suck it up (or in) for a couple more weeks, but it looks like I'll have to start shopping for maternity-wear, or at least get myself a "Bella Band" which goes on to your normal pants and gives you some extra stretch. 


I feel like such a cliche right now whining about how I'm "getting fat". I know it's all part of pregnancy and honestly I'd rather just be all out showing. This in-between phase is odd. Bring on the belly!

Busy Bee

Yesterday I traveled "out west" to visit my pal Ipsi. I love driving through my old college town and the surrounding area. It's surprising, but I still know many of those roads like the back of my hand. I was also really pleased to be able to introduce my unborn child to the wonderful taste of Antonio's pizza. Heaven!


I was wiped out by the time I got home, but today I have been shockingly energetic. I trimmed all the bushes and pruned a couple of the little trees in the front yard. Just a little bit of yard work really goes along way. Then I went on a cleaning spree in the house where I mopped, cleaned the bathrooms including both showers, and dusted! Not too shabby!


Next, I'm off to the garden store and then figuring out what I want to make for dinner. I will probably drop like a racehorse by nightfall, but I definitely want to take advantage of the fact that I have all this energy. I'm very lucky in comparison to a lot of either p.g. ladies in their first trimester - no crippling morning sickness or extreme exhaustion. I absolutely have my own symptoms to contend with, but they seem to be pretty mild overall. And I sincerely hope I didn't just jinx myself!

On Cloud 9

I am 9 weeks pregnant today, the baby is now the size of a medium-sized green olive, and baby has just been upgraded from embryo to fetus status. (I'm still a little fuzzy on the difference.)

We had our first doctor's appointment today and it was so exciting. It definitely made everything very real. I was so grateful Kevin took the day off to come with me. We got to see the heartbeat on the ultrasound and it brought tears to my eyes! I'm going to try to amp up my nutrition even more. Doc says if I can, eat as organically as possible so I got the green light from hubby to become a weekly Whole Foods shopper!


And now the best part of all...baby's first picture:

I can't stop looking at it!

A Little Taste of Hawaii

After our honeymoon in Maui this past spring, I find that I can't get enough pineapple. I love it. I think the #1 reason I love it is because when I taste its sweet, tart juiciness, for a moment I am taken back to the beautiful island soaking in the tropical surroundings. It tastes like vacation. I felt similarly the first time I went to Hawaii as well, back when I visited my pal Jess in Oahu. Shortly after that trip I found a recipe for a grilled sandwich that incorporated pineapple. I like to call it a "Grilled Hawaiian". So in homage to the glorious memories of sea and surf, I made this delicacy for dinner tonight. Should you ever want to try:


Ingredients:
Any kind of bread, I chose fresh baked ciabatta
Pineapple slices (canned is fine here)
Ham
Swiss cheese 
Fresh basil 


Instructions:
Layer both sides of the bread with ham
Add cheese
Add basil (just a few leaves, and trust me, it gives a nice burst of flavor)
Add pineapple (best to have this in the middle of the sandwich so the bread doesn't get soggy)
Add another ham and cheese layer
Use a panini press or "griddler"-type appliance to heat up or heat in skillet and apply pressure with spatula
Enjoy and imagine yourself surrounded by palm trees!

Old School

In continuation of my flashback to the 90s, I made an "I Love the 90s" playlist and downloaded some classic artists like Seal, TLC, Blues Traveler and The Cranberries. Listening to music that you haven't heard in a long time is really uplifting. Normally, emptying the dishwasher is a chore that I absolutely loathe, but somehow after firing up my itunes, I rocked that dishwasher like nobody's business. 


Then Rebecca and I watched fuzzy recordings of The Babysitter's Club on Youtube. And we're talking the television show here, not the movie, although that is an excellent piece of cinematic art. We topped it off with a trip to the library, where I got my new library card and  checked out three books: a Babysitter's Club book (of course), a Goosebumps book and a gem that Rebecca found - a Full House book. Whoa, baby! We spent the rest of the afternoon reading on the front porch. 


Ahhh...I'm definitely enjoying these lazy summer days. I know they'll be my last. ;-)

Interesting Symptom...

Somewhere in my travels I've heard of pregnancy dreams before, but now I am definitely experiencing them firsthand. I've read a lot women having scary dreams of something happening to the baby or other anxiety-inducing nightmares. Me on the other hand? I am dreaming about food.


I had one of those weird "dream within a dream" situations last night. In my dream I was going to yoga, but for some reason I got there way before the class started so my instructor was like, "Hmmmm you're a bit early.", so I decided to go to Dunkin Donuts, or so Dream Andrea thought. Cut to me in Dunks staring up at a giant wall of donuts, displaying practically every kind of donut known to man. I couldn't decide. Chocolate frosted with sprinkles? New Oreo donut? Good ol' glazed? Flash to me in my car waking up and seeing that the time was 2:30, meaning I missed my dream yoga class because I was dreaming about donuts. I drove back to the studio even though this class had been over for hours. When the instructor asked what happened to me I said, "I don't know. I fell asleep in my car in the parking lot and was dreaming about not being able to decide on what donut I wanted at Dunkin Donuts. And by the way, I'm pregnant."


No kidding.


What I'd really like to dream about next is drinking a bottle of pinot noir, because to be honest kids, I do miss it from time to time. 

Believe it or Not

Despite all my whining about yard work, I actually just enjoyed myself outside. The temperature was not brutally hot or humid and it was late in the afternoon so the sun wasn't as strong so it just felt pleasantly warm. I could smell the freshly cut grass and hear the peaceful sounds of summer. It felt good to be out, relaxing even. And bonus, I was able to de-weed the whole front bed. So now that the weeds are under control again, my next yard project will be the bushes. I'll get to those either later this week or sometime next week. One thing at a time. I'm definitely learning to give myself breaks this summer and to keep a good balance of staying active and busy, but also giving myself some R&R. 


I finished the "50 Shades" series today. It took one week for me to read all three books. They got worse with each sequel - in terms of cheesiness, not shock value. Part of me wishes I had stopped after the first book which I still definitely recommend as a hot, trashy read, but curiosity got the better of me and I just had to know what would happen in the end. I have yet to venture to the town library even though I've lived here over a year now, so I think I will definitely have to check that out soon. If anyone has any book recommendations, I gladly welcome them!

I didn't blog yesterday because...

I was too busy eating Ben & Jerry's and meatloaf.


Not at the same time of course - I'm not that bad. But seriously, I'm slightly shocked that this morning when I did my weekly weigh-in, I only gained less that a quarter of a pound. I don't eat all bad for me things. I definitely try to keep it balanced and all, it's just that if I feel like ice cream, well gosh darn it, I'm going to have some. Pregnancy has made me feel entitled. Entitled to buy cookies at the grocery store, entitled to finish nearly everything on my plate, entitled to my license to eat. 


I realize this is a scary attitude to have, and if I keep it up I'm liable to gain 70 pounds over the upcoming months. However, I am applying my "casino rule" to weight gain. When I go to a casino, I usually give myself an allotted amount to gamble with and nothing more and if I lose it, well then that's what I paid to have some fun. This easily can apply to pregnancy weight. Because I fall in the "normal" body weight range, I can gain anywhere from 25-35 pounds. I figure, that's my allotted amount and I won't go over it. 


I think it doesn't hurt that I'm still pretty active. Between the camp, my regular yoga practice and walking a lot, I'm doing a good job of staying healthy. As a bonus, I was super-proud of myself yesterday during yoga when I nailed my flying crow pose. Not too bad for a knocked up chick!




Looks like this:



http://yoga.about.com/od/yogaphotogalleries/ig/Arm-Balances-Photo-Gallery/Flying-Crow-Pose-.htm

Feeling Pretty Darn Good!

I know I come across as a pretty organized person, and in many respects I am. However, my home contains secret pockets of clutter, and over time they spread. There's mail all over the breakfast bar, there's empty jewelry boxes piled on a dresser, there's ancient memorabilia shoved in the closet corner. And while all of this "stuff" wouldn't bother most people and in fact, most people probably wouldn't notice it - it most definitely gets to me, so I have decided to do something about it.


I started with my bedroom. I have gone through all my drawers and cleaned out the closet. I pulled tons of items for donation and threw a bunch away. I can happily report that I have now created enough space in the closet so that Kevin can actually move his clothes in and use it instead of keeping his in the guest room.


It is such a tremendous joy to walk into the closet! (It's even easier to get into since I moved the giant purses that used to occupy the doorknob making it difficult to turn.) There's actually free space in there right now! Clearing out clutter really is good for the soul. It's like a physical example of what I try to achieve in meditation. 


I also took a lovely walk today up the road to a farmer's market. I got some fresh basil (does anything smell better than fresh basil?), 2 big zucchini, 2 big summer squash and some homemade fettuccine. YUM! It was great - I got some exercise and helped the environment by not using my car, and I bought healthy food while supporting our local community farm. 


All in all, a nice summer day. 


And now? Probably cookies...

My Grocery Affair

I cheated on Market Basket today.


Lately, I've been feeling that although I eat fairly healthy, I could be eating healthier. And I've also been using my pregnancy as an excuse to pretty much have ice cream and cookies whenever I want. I haven't had any weight gain yet so it's possible the camp job is off setting that...for now. 


When I think of healthy eating, I think of Whole Foods. I can't help it. I know they are WAY over-priced and not everything in their store is actually organic, but I like the association I make in my mind whenever I splurge and shop there. Today, I wanted nothing more than to be a "hip, healthy, yogi, mom-to-be". I even struck up a conversation with another pregnant woman in the cheese section. We were both reading the labels making sure our selections were made with pasteurized milk. I got a whole bunch of fruits and veggies and even had some delicious sliced watermelon as an afternoon snack. So tell me this...is it bad that I still added a pint of Ben & Jerry's to my shopping cart?


In other "affairs", I submitted (word choice intended) and bought the book Fifty Shades of Grey over the weekend, and after finishing it at lightening speed picked up the other two books. Eek! I can't help it! And it's totally putting me off starting my project list though I think I may start by cleaning out my clothes closet - the horror! 

I'm Coming Out!

So I just can't take it anymore...


I feel like since starting this blog again this summer I've been lying to all of my readers. I know traditionally you aren't supposed to announce to the world until a certain amount of time, but I just can't contain myself anymore. Some of you may know this already, but if you don't...I'm pregnant!


Ahhhh...such a relief! There's been so many times I've wanted to talk about it!


Here are the basics:

• I'm 7 weeks, 4 days along
• The baby is the size of a blueberry and is accumulating over 100 new brain cells each minute
• My first doctor's appointment is a week from Thursday where we may hopefully get our first ultrasound
• The unofficial estimated due date is Valentine's Day :-)

I'm glad I'm throwing this out here. Sometimes it's simply impossible to not be myself, and myself is just bursting with happiness!

Ding-Dong the Dish is Down!

Since we've moved into the house there was one thing that bugged me. No matter how good the house looked on the inside or even on the outside, one thing constantly plagued me. It ruined the whole look of the house, in my opinion. 


You see, we have this yellow ranch surrounded by trees and plants and flowers. We have woods in our back yard. Everything is really serene and peaceful, except that until this morning, there was a big, honkin' satellite dish on our roof! I can't tell you how much that bothered me, especially because we don't have satellite tv - we don't even have cable! (We watch everything via Netflix, Hulu, etc...) But my wonderful hubby scaled the roof this morning and dismantled it himself even though we were told by the previous owners that since it was professionally installed, it would have to be professionally uninstalled. Well, I guess Kevin is a professional then because he had it down in no time! I am so excited! 


So now the contraption is in our basement. Not really sure where to go from here with it. Is it possible to sell it on ebay? Can someone even use it again? Maybe someone would want it for some sort of technological, artistic sculpture? Is that the kind of thing that can even be thrown away? 

Goal List #1

I usually look at the first couple weeks of summer as a time for unwinding, relaxation and, dare I say it, a bit of laziness. But once July rolls around, summer becomes a time where I can get things done. I've come up with a few jobs to tackle for the time being:

1. Organize/clean out closets and cabinets

2. WEED!

3. Trim the bushes

4. Write poems

5. Add more decorative items to the house

I figure that's a good jumping off point. I'm especially looking forward to starting my organization project. I feel physically better when everything is in it's place. I get a kick out of chucking things that are of no use anymore. And I enjoy donating clothes and accessories that can benefit others. I also like the nostalgic feeling of going through various items and recalling memories associated with them. 

So let the games begin! 

Flashback to Fifth Grade

Today I got a wonderful opportunity to visit with my fifth grade teacher. I absolutely loved this woman. She made fifth grade one of my best years in school. I thought she was so cool. She had her ears pierced twice and drove a red pickup truck. She once danced the funky chicken while leading our class down the hallway. She got me really interested in poetry. In short, Mrs. Matarese rocked. 


I couldn't believe she remembered me too. She knew my name right away and as much as I hate to admit this, I was in the fifth grade seventeen years ago. Yikes! It was such a terrific feeling to be able to tell her how she impacted my life and how she has influenced my career. I can only hope that one day one my students would feel similar about me. I'm not sure if I'd be lucky enough to see them seventeen years later, but who knows? The universe is full of mysteries. 

Day 2 Of Camp

I'm seriously loving this summer job. The kids are really great, and the other counselors that travel with them are enthusiastic and helpful. My yoga space is really nothing more than a glorified storage shed, but somehow it works. I love that the little ones give hugs when they leave, I love that if kids see me walking through camp they'll call out, "Hi Yoga Lady!", and I love that the 3 I had at the end of the day for electives wanted to do "squish ball" for me.


I'll explain.


At the end of any yoga class there is this wonderful resting time called Savasana (the Sanskrit term) or in English, Corpse Pose. I definitely think "savasana" has the better ring to it. Anyway, for the kids, instead of having them just lie there, we do something called Squish Ball. All it really entails is taking a giant exercise ball and rolling it over someone's back and then down again. It seems really simple, but the kids go nuts for it. Almost all of them have been saying that was their favorite part of yoga. And honestly, it does feel really good! It's kind of like a mini-massage. So when one little boy today chimed in, "now you should get squish ball because you're the teacher", I thought it was incredibly sweet. 


I honestly think during the school year we should implement Squish Ball into our classrooms. Not necessarily every day, but maybe after something stressful like a test or a presentation. I'm always trying to look for new ways to incorporate yoga into school. I really believe it's so important because kids get stressed just as much as adults, and as they get older they just get subjected to more and more pressures. It's good for them to learn tools to help at an early age. 

Like Death and Taxes

Weeds. Again. And quite frankly I'm surprised because leading up to this summer I took all the proper precautions to make sure I wouldn't spend hours and hours of back breaking work pulling them out. We dug up all the existing weeds with a fabulous gizmo called a "hula hoe" that was given to me by my mother in law, then we put down something that was supposed to prevent weeds from growing back, and lastly that very same day, we mulched. It vastly improved the look of the yard. However, as I walked around the house today, to my horror I saw those little green beasts sprouting up again. 

So I guess it's inevitable. Weeds grow and you just need to pull them out one at a time, breathe, and do your best not to be overwhelmed with them.   

Gratitude

Today was my first day teaching yoga at the camp. I have to admit, I was a little nervous. I know I shouldn't be, but any time I'm venturing into the unknown, I always get slightly worried. Luckily, I was able to pull of few yogi tricks out of my sleeve and by the time I actually got there this morning, I was feeling much more confident. 


It turned out to be a great day! It was really interesting and to be honest, tiring - but in a good way. I've never taught practically 6 hours of yoga in one day before, and to kids of all ages. I had pre-schoolers all the way up to girls heading into ninth grade. I enjoyed each group, even the twelve rambunctious six year old boys...whoa!


So right now I am just feeling very grateful. I'm grateful that I am able to have a cool summer job, doing something I absolutely love and am extremely passionate about. I always look at my personal yoga teachers with such awe and admiration. I realized today that I've been doing the kids yoga thing now for nearly 6 months. I really am a yoga teacher too. I want to give my husband a huge thank you because without him, this wouldn't have happened. I had always toyed with idea of getting certified to teach kids yoga, and back in the fall I researched and found a program. I was still holding back though. I said it was the cost of the program, and that was probably part of it, but I also think I was a bit frightened and nervous of the unknown. But thanks to a lot of encouragement and support, I'm making a dream come true. Thank you, Kevin.

I Call Him Al

I think I  need a new iPod. My iPod, aptly named Al Podcino, is not doing well. For a while he hasn't been able to sync with my itunes, probably because itunes has evolved past him. (He was born in 2007, during the first generation of nanos that came out in colors.) He had a recovery a few months back and I was able to reset his factory settings, but I have no such luxury this time around. It's so hard to say goodbye. We've gone through many great times together, but I think I need to start looking again, unless an electronic miracle happens and brings good ol' Al back from his technocoma. We'll see what happens...

This summer is becoming...

a retrospective of the 90s. I feel like all the media I've been ingesting lately has come from the decade I consider my "growing up" years. Yesterday I watched My Best Friend's Wedding with Rebecca while reading bridal magazines (yay!) and then later on Kevin's instant Netflix choice was Dumb and Dumber. You don't get more 90s than a Jim Carrey comedy. Fun fact - that movie was the first one I saw in theaters with only friends and no parents. So while it is an absolute ridiculous and sometimes disgusting hour and forty some odd minutes, it will always hold a special place in my heart. 


Also from the 90s - Bec brought over old book series we used to read like The Babysitter's Club and Goosebumps. Classic! And now after flying through Mary Ann Saves the Day in, oh, like an hour I want more 90s classic reads! In fact, I want more 90s. If you can think of any good, solid 90s movies, tv shows, songs or books that you enjoyed when you were younger, send them my way!

Oh Bagel, where art thou?

Last night I had my first meeting for the camp that I'll be teaching yoga at this summer. It was pretty fun- I met a couple of nice girls and I really started to get excited about working there. I think it's a really good gig for the summer. The meeting however spanned over dinner time- it was from 5:30 to 9, so I had leftover pasta at 4 as a super early bird special. Naturally, when I left the meeting several hours later, I was starving...


On the drive home I decided what I really wanted was a bagel. Nothing fancy, plain or whole wheat, with a nice, thick layer of cream cheese. I pulled into the Dunkin Donuts near my house. The only bakery items left were a couple of sorry looking croissants and some plain stick donuts. No bagels. 


I move on down the street a little and pop into Cumberland Farms. Sure enough, they had cream cheese, but no bagels. They had loaves of bread, English muffins, even 100 calorie flats, but no bagels!


At this point it's about quarter to 10 and I simultaneously can't believe I can't find a bagel at this hour and also can't believe I'm trying to get one with such vigor. I finally head further into town to the Star to buy good ol' Philly cream cheese and Thomas's bagels.


Now you may think why didn't I just give up my bagel quest and settle for a snack at home like microwave popcorn or cereal? The answer to that is the complete satisfaction of biting in and experiencing all the creamy deliciousness. Any of you who have craved something and then eaten it know that there is quite no other food experience like that...getting something you truly desire. So the moral of the story is, don't let anything get in the way of you and your snack. I figure, that's one of life's great pleasures. 

"Sorry I'm not home right now..."

"...I'm walking into spiderwebs..."


Not only are these lyrics from No Doubt's incredibly epic album Tragic Kingdom, it's what happens every time I step out into my yard. I have an army of spiders that live around my house who make webs in virtually every nook and cranny they could possibly find. It's a little icky to be honest. I know spiders eat mosquitoes and other pesky insects but I find the urge to wipe them out whenever I see them, but just when I think I've cleaned them all out, a whole other spider condominium complex gets built up in its place. I suppose that's the trade off for having tall, green, leafy trees around. Is there any way to get rid of webs and have them not return? How do I make my yard an undesirable neighborhood for prospective spider homeowners?

***

And in a trip down memory lane, I am very happy to discover that Netflix has Dawson's Creek now available on streaming. It's totally different watching this show as an adult. Who knew that Dawson's dad was such a fox? I totally don't remember thinking that when I was in the eighth grade when the show came out. I love the smattering of old songs from my high school days that play throughout the show - Savage Garden? Hello, 1998. The only HORRIBLE and I mean horrible thing is that there must have been some sort of licensing problem with the theme song, and the show does not open with Paula Cole's "I Don't Want to Wait". I mean, come on! Still enjoying myself though, despite the fact that I have a sudden urge to smile with only half my mouth and use big words. 

What's Cookin'?

One of the perks of being at home in the summer is that I can make more complicated dishes. Today was rather overcast and the heat wave has not yet approached, so after spending a relatively cuddly day on the couch, I wanted a yummy, hearty, Italian dish.

Baked Rigatoni in a Bechamel Sauce with Spinach and Mushroom:

This little number was full of cheesy and buttery goodness.

This is a take off on a Giada de Laurentiis recipe from the original Everyday Italian cookbook. (Thanks Ipsi!) I know Giada isn't everyone's favorite, with her semi-pretentious pronunciation of everyday word's like "spaghetti" and "mozzarella" but I like her and her recipes always seem to be sure-fire hit. I added my own special touches, and made some replacements of ingredients based on what I had in the house and it came out dee-lish if I do say so myself. And at least Kevin seems to agree. 

Second Summer Begins...

Hello again dear reader(s),


There is more than one of you right? :-)


Today was the last day of school and I'm actually a little bit sad about it. I miss the kids already. They really were such a sweet group and one little girl's tears almost put me over the edge. I guess it's a sign of doing a job well done if there are students that don't want to leave the 6th grade. You don't really hear that every day. Still, it's very difficult to say goodbye to them. It's probably one of the toughest parts of teaching. 


I wanted to have something really exciting to talk about today but my afternoon/evening went as followed:


1. Lunch with Rebecca


2. Snuggle-time with hubby


3. 3 1/2 hour nap 


4. Mini marathon of "How I Met Your Mother"


5. Frozen yogurt at my new favorite place that I've been to 3 times in the last week


Come to think of it...that doesn't sound half bad.


Let the summer begin!