Weekending

It has been several weeks since I did a true weekending post. I really hope to keep up with these because I've had so much fun looking back on these types of posts from two years ago when we were expecting Jack and remembering some of the fun we were having then. That means in the future I would probably benefit from my weekly pregnancy updates.

{Note to self: get on that.}

I really can't remember a time when I've been more busy than I am right now. Some of it is self-induced, but most is family and work-related. Not long after we got home from San Francisco, at my monthly check-up, my doc diagnosed me with SHINGLES. If you're not familiar with it, most of the time it's stress-induced and occurs when the chicken pox virus gets all ticked off again in your nerve endings. It's itchy and painful at the same time, and the spots left me unable to pull my hair into a ponytail for a week.

Just icing on the proverbial cake of too much going on I've been baking over here.

The major blessing is that I had a mild case, and Jack had been immunized for the chicken pox and apparently said vaccine was effective because he didn't get it. Also, Annabelle was perfectly safe and content and continued to kick the heck out of me like she was none the wiser. The only concern my doctor had was if I still had it when she was born, she would likely contract chicken pox shortly after. Let's pray I am all clear by late February! (I should be already clear even now although my marks are still fading.)

So with that, work, home, a toddler, being pregnant, holidays, work (bears repeating at this point), this weekend was pretty sacred to me. And so I spent it cleaning my house like a maniac because apparently that's what I do to relax.

But first, I saw the last Twilight movie with some of my girlfriends on Thursday night, and it blew me away. Without a doubt it was the best one of the series. I really thought it was genius.

We had reserved seating at Movie Tavern for a marathon showing that started at noon. I showed up in my yoga pants and house shoes just in time to order supper before Breaking Dawn Part 1 started, and since we were part of the marathon, we actually got to see Part 2 starting at 10 PM. I can't tell you how excited I was knowing I would be home not long after midnight.

{That moment you know you're getting old.}

Seriously, I don't even remember how old this manicure is, but with the
exception of rapid fingernail growth due to crazy horse pill pre-natal vitamins,
it's still perfect.
Friday I worked from home because due to my current project, Fridays off are non-existent. Working from home is rarity for me (meaning I normally go on in to the office), but with, you know, the SHINGLES having been present in my life over the past couple of weeks, I'm trying to take it easy on my pregnant self.

Here is Jack modeling the most adorable toddler-sized North Face backpack or "jackpack"
as we call it because we are so punny. He starts preschool/mother's day out/whathaveyou
in the spring two days a week.
Saturday, I took a break in cleaning the house and loaded up my boys for a trip to Trader Joe's for the first time. It's been open in FW for several months now, but it is near the most awful road construction, plus I wanted to wait for the crowd to thin out.

Really wanting to know why no one has told me about this before. This is a must have product.

Internet, you really need to warn a sister about these things.
Get yourself to Trader Joe's for some cookie butter. I can't stand peanut butter (I know) OR nutella (I know!) but this? AMAZING. I bought a second jar to take home with me for the holidays. For real.

Experienced Trader Joe's patrons, please tell me: what else should I be buying from there?

The City by the Bay

As I mentioned earlier in the week, this past weekend we took a short getaway with our friends, the Cooks, to San Francisco. While we were somewhat celebrating a milestone birthday for Ashley, so far for several years in row we've come up with some excuse to go somewhere. It's a great blessing to have friends that you get along with well enough to go on adventures.

We flew in on Thursday evening and didn't get to the apartment we rented on vrbo.com until almost 2 AM Texas time. (I'm usually in bed by 9, FYI.)

Thankful to be on left coast time the next morning, we kicked Friday off with donuts from a random place we found driving down the street and were off to Alcatraz. What a weird/neat piece of American history. The weather was a little cool, but it was a clear day on the bay, so we had a great view of the major SFO landmarks on the ferry going to and from.

After Alcatraz, we walked over to Pier 39 for lunch and a check of the tourist traps before driving over the Golden Gate Bridge towards Sausalito and Mill Valley. From there we headed out to Muir Woods, which was beautiful. (This is coming from not-a-nature-lover.) A Co-worker of mine had told us to go on a week day because the parking is bad on weekends. It reminded me of a Twilight movie so we kept making jokes about Edward and Bella. (Hang on, Spidermonkey.) (Also, we have tickets to the midnight showing so we are, sadly, fully qualified to make jokes like that.)



There was a photographer taking pics for a work project (I asked - it was for a catalog), and he let passersby grab some snaps of his project as well.
After all of the walking around we did (my usually desk-bound pregnant self was flat give out) we drove to Ghirardelli Square where I parked myself in front of a warm brownie Ghirardelli hot fudge sundae. It was as good as it sounds.

On Saturday, we all slept in and watched the Aggies beat Mississippi State. All four of us headed out to TPC Harding Park where we ate lunch, then kissed our husbands good bye to play golf while we explored the shopping of San Francisco. Ashley and I found our way to Union Square, which pleasantly reminded me of NYC. It's one of the largest shopping districts in the world. In short, I was in my element.

After a time, we decided to rest our feet with some mani/pedis. I'm going to camp here for a sec because this was nothing like a Texas mani/pedi experience. For one, neither salon we checked out had a store front. They were suites in big office buildings which were kinda deserted on a late Saturday afternoon. Also, they didn't have the big chairs - just tubs lined with disposable plastic liners, which is cleaner than the big chairs anyway. And lastly, mani/pedis were much less expensive. The nail salon I frequent in Fort Worth costs me approximately $40 for a standard spa pedicure, while we both got a shellac mani ($$$ in FW) and pedi for almost the same price.

What's the deal, Fort Worth? Lower cost of housing, but higher mani/pedi prices. Go figure.

Anyway, it was fun, and I'm loving the shellac manicure. My polish shows no sign of wear yet.

That evening we found a hole in the wall pizza place not far from the golf course called Paradise Pizza. It was one of those small shops where the owner comes around to check and make sure that you like your food. My husband loved it!

Sunday, we breakfasted at a little place not far from Fisherman's Wharf called Hollywood Cafe. The food was AMAZING. When the bus boy picked up our plates, I said, "Thanks! that was so good!" He said (with pride), "We know!"

After that, we did more shopping and had a date night out on the town with dinner at McCormick & Kuleto's and one of their fabulous chocolate bags for dessert. (McCormick & Schmick also carries the chocolate bag. If you don't see it on the dessert menu while there next time, ask for it by name because you must experience it at least once.)

The next morning we were up early for the return trip to Texas, and we were so ready to see our sweet little man's face. It was a great adventure and good to get away before the holidays begin with a busy and full calendar. Now the rest of the week will be spent recovering from the time change.

Catching Up

Hi and hello!

I've been (and still am) tied up at work on a project that has me working long hours, and that's why I haven't posted much recently. I don't post from the office as a rule, and really the last thing I want to do is fire up my MacBook when I arrive home just in time to tuck my toddler into bed.

We already had a short getaway on the calendar for this past weekend, so it was nice to take what was most likely our last little vacation before Annabelle comes. I can't believe it, but I'll be in my third trimester in less than 4 weeks. Time is simply flying by and bringing so much excitement along the way!

So let's talk about the little miss. While we were out of town, Mr. G felt her move for the first time. I've been feeling her since 16 weeks. She's a dancer, that Annabelle. I'm 24 weeks now, and this pregnancy has been very different than Jack's. Everything is happening faster: heartburn, restless legs, having her on my lungs and stomach. With Jack, those symptoms didn't occur until nearly 8 months. My understanding is that is just part of a second pregnancy. So far I am managing with remedies from my doc (and also, staying really busy at work.)

But now speaking of the little guy, he is an absolute joy right now. I missed him so much while we were out of town, but he had fun with his grandparents. Here he was at our church fall festival last week. He's such a good sport.

I love that kid!