9.26.14 - Crafts and cool weather

Today was a lovely day. Sarah drove up to visit last night, and this morning after breakfast we used q-tips to paint some fall trees for thank you notes for the Long-Distance Housewarming party Mom had thrown Jack and me a week or two ago. I love doing crafts, and it's even more fun when I can visit with a friend like that, and when I get to use the Ikea table and chairs Jack picked up and assembled for us earlier this week.

After awhile she and I took a break and got a small lunch at one of my favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurants, a sushi place, near downtown Sac. The weather is so much cooler now: only going up to the 70s instead of the 90s. I love it. Some leaves are starting to change and fly around too.

After lunch Sarah drove back home and I continued with the thank you cards, mostly while watching Once Upon a Time. The show is just okay but it's enjoyable enough and easy to only glance at (instead of eyes glued) while working on the cards. I do enjoy the character of Regina a lot more than I used to. She's kind of a BA.

9.25.14 - The weather is finally changing!

After a summer with far too many days over 100 degrees, the weather is starting to tip off at only 90 something. Still not good enough but an improvement. But today is sure to be cooler than that, because:

Also there are other signs of fall finally coming around!

I absolutely love fall. Easily my favorite season, but especially after a summer like this. I can't wait until the weather is cool enough to justify a Starbucks hot chocolate instead of a frappuccino. :)

Some of the best things about movies.

When a character says exactly what you want them to.

Kid Snippets

During my Colorado trip last week, I got to visit Rocket, Sola, and Harrison, and all of them cracked me up at different points. Here are a few samples:

Jill told Rocket she was going upstairs to take care of a few things, and when she came back down he either had to have finished his lunch or he'll get a spanking. After she went upstairs Rocket told me he'd rather have the spanking then finish eating. I told him to go tell Jill that. As he got off his stool he said, "Okay. I will try not to cry, but I might cry. But then I will just say GET BEHIND ME TEARS!" and when he said this last part he leaned toward me with very wide eyes, so emphatic. It was hilarious.

At one point Jill and I were talking about how delightful snow days are, and Sola (11 years old) pointed out that they are also dangerous because of falling icicles. She stated, matter-of-factly, "I have to watch Rocket and Zoey and make sure they don't play under the icicles, because they don't know what it means to be killed."

One evening Sola read to me from the Calvin & Hobbes book I got her for her birthday. Harrison (12 years old, amazing memory) came in and asked us to turn to page 194 because that's the strip where Hobbes says "Heck no!" For whatever reason Harrison thinks that's hilarious, and I think it's amazing that he remembers the page number.

9.18.14 - My Sept CO visit

Before Dad started renting out his house in SF, he and Jill and Rocket would visit every month or so and I could just drive down and see them. Now they never come out, so I went to CO for a visit. As a bonus, that means I got to visit Julie et al as well and meet my new nephew, Malcolm!

D'awwww

I had chances to visit one-on-one with Dad, Jill, and Julie at different times, which was great. I got to enjoy the front porch swing in beautiful (read: not flippin' 100 degree) weather and see the leaves just  start to turn in CO. I also got a whole bunch of new (to me), free maternity clothes from Julie, plus I bought  afew additional ones at the local thrift shop. I am sitting here as I write this feeling very comfortable in stretchy shorts.

During one of the days of the trip Mom was in MO throwing Jack and me a long-distance house warming party. I got to Skype with her and Merlene and Aunts Teresa and Linda. It was really fun. I showed them my baby bump and they flipped over it, that was hilarious. For awhile Zoey skyped with us too and Mom showed her all her toys waiting at Ja-ma's house, and Zoey named the colors of different puzzle pieces. She's such a cutie.

It was great to see all the kids, too. One evening Sola read to me (and Harrison and Rocket) from the Calvin and Hobbes book I got her for her birthday this year. She does all the voices, it's great.

Jill picked me up and dropped me off on the 1.5 hour drive to the airport. We got to talk (I got to talk) the whole way, and it's always nice to get one-on-one time with Jill when Dad and I don't completely overtake the conversation. 

After she dropped me off I went to check my bag and the car seat Julie & Denny had given us. The baggage guy saw the empty carseat and asked, "Did you lose your baby?" I smiled and rubbed my stomach and said "The baby's right here!" He laughed. "Oh so you're just getting ready, saving a few bucks." "Yep." "So when do you get to meet your little friend?" "March 1st! And we find out the gender in 3 weeks." And he just smiled. I asked, "So do you have kids?" And he said "No...not yet!" But he seemed very happy. It was a really enjoyable conversation.

I have a few cute kid anecdotes but I think I'll save those for a separate post.

9.11.14 - Friendly support

Yesterday my program director surprised me by having a beautifully wrapped gift for Jack and me to congratulate us on our pregnancy. It was a baby blanket and some odds and ends, all in gender-neutral purples and yellows, so soft. It was really nice.

On a whim, Shannon bought us a chair at a garage sale that reminded her of Harry Potter that she thought we'd like for the nursery. It's really cool - quirky and painted an interesting aqua color. I'm just too tired to take a picture right now.

My mama is throwing Jack and me a long-distance house warming party on Sunday, at which guests will bring gift cards to help us replace the furniture we had to toss earlier this year. It's such an unconventional, creative, sweet gesture on her part, not to mention on the parts of everyone participating even though we can't be there with them. It's very touching. :)

9.5.14 - Jack is a good listener.

The past few days I've been rambling to Jack about a few different political and social topics I've been thinking a lot about, and he's listened very attentively and inserted exclamations and agreements and jokes. It means a lot to me that he is a good listener and a good friend.

9.4.14 - Science jokes

I was looking through science-ish photos I'd uploaded to FB quite awhile ago, and these ones made me giggle all over again:

9.2.14 - The moment you realize you're a freaking cat!

This video made me laugh so hard Jack came in from the other room to see what's going on:

Also, today Neil read a news article that really got him down, so he watched this video and felt better. Hahaha.

8.26.14 - Happy Mail Day!

Yuk yuk.

Yogurt and granola, my breakfast today.

L'abri

11 years ago today I left for Switzerland.

8.14.14 - Such a good day!

Today we went to the doctor for a prenatal visit. I thought they would just be asking questions and drawing blood, but it turns out we got to have another ultrasound too! I'm so glad Jack was there for that. To me, this ultrasound was more exciting than the first one. The kid is bigger and it's easier to see the shape of the body, and the kid was moving around a lot - stretching some (proportionally) long legs and wiggling and everything. It was so cool. Jack sat next to me and kept his hand on my shoulder the whole time. I can tell he's so happy and excited.

Everything else during the visit went well too. The staff gave us a lot of resources and homework to look into (free classes, trying to meet other new parents, etc.) which is a little overwhelming but also exciting.

Afterward we splurged on Subway for lunch (delicious, though I later felt guilty for spending the money) and then we went to a local hardware store that is going out of business and bought a few things for the new apartment at up to 60% off. So that was awesome. We also went to Walmart and got a toaster oven and some other things. Then we went home and Jack hung shelves and wine bottles and whatever else while I continued unpacking and organizing everything. Putting the new apartment together is a very cathartic process, and I enjoy it all the more when Jack and I can work on it together. It was so nice that he had the day off.

The kitchen is coming along!

Somewhere in the midst of working on the apartment, I also finally made the public announcement of the pregnancy, and then I really enjoyed checking FB throughout the day to see what people had to say.

(click to enlarge)

Finally we went to Mike's and had a Tichu rematch with him and Shannon. Girls won! But it was a good game - a lot of intense, close rounds. We enjoyed grapes and chips and salsa the whole time too.

8.11.14 - Pinterest gives me ideas for a Harry Potter-themed nursery!

I just think this is gorgeous.

(I found it on Pinterest but, sadly, the source page no longer works.)

7.25.14 - A few notes of gratitude during a rough phase.

Jack and I have been having major problems with our apartment and apartment complex management. I don't want to detail it because I'd rather not relive it when I go back and look at my Joy Inventory. However I'm really grateful for the supportive friends I have in the area.

My friend Rachel is letting Jack and me stay in her house until we can move to a new apartment (which we will begin doing late next week). Not only is she opening her extra bedroom to us, but since she and her boyfriend are going to be on a road trip almost the whole time, she opened her actual bedroom (with a more comfortable bed) to us. She also encouraged us to use her dishes, eat any food she left in the fridge, use the air conditioner, and use her washer and dryer. I am so touched by her generosity and I am so relieved to have somewhere else to stay during this transition period.

My friend Shannon has repeatedly offered to help or just provide general social support if I ever need it. I've taken her up on that several times, including sleeping in her bed for afternoon naps when we were still stuck at the apartment and I was getting no sleep, and including letting her make me dinner one night, and just last night asking her if we could hang out because I was lonely with Jack gone so much. I spent the evening with her at her friend Mike's (also a sweetheart) and we just chatted about politics and family and funny internet memes and we had hot wings. Mike wouldn't let me give him any cash for the food. And he had Diet Coke in his house just because he knew I was coming. Seriously, how sweet are my friends? They make feel very taken care of and lucky.

7.17.14 - Weird Al saves the day.

Recently I've been very stressed out on a daily basis, and I'm having a hard time staying in a good mood. That's why it's so wonderful when, despite being frustrated, something can really make me laugh. This week Weird Al has been releasing videos once a day for his newest album, and so far all of them have made me laugh. I've even put the songs on my iPod already so I can listen to them while driving to and from school, and they make me laugh. It's really quite a relief.

Getting hottttt.

I'm not an introvert, but still.