Gifts from Nana

I was so glad to see my Mom this weekend and that she could finally see the baby bump.  She added icing to the cake by bringing prizes for the little guy.

First is this sweet four piece ensemble.

The graphics are so cute and I especially love the little chick.

And the socks are sooo adorable!

But my favorite are these little western boots.  I was really hoping to get a pair for the little man and as Nanas are wont to do, my Mom delivered the perfect pair.

Thanks Mum!  You’re going to be a great Nana… and not just because you’re good at picking out prizes!

Burlingame 2011

The third annual family camping trip was great.  Well, it started off a little rough.  When I arrived on Thursday afternoon, it was raining pretty hard and Mom was already soaked.  I threw on a poncho and we worked through it though, getting the canopy and tent set up pretty quickly.

After we had the basic set up done, we went to Walmart to pick up a few things.  When we returned, the rain had stopped, we were mostly dry, and we got settled in.

On Friday, we got up, had breakfast, and then went to the beach.  It was much quieter than last year since the sky was overcast and it was a little cool, but we still had a great time.  (p.s. This lying-down picture makes the bump look huge!)

After the beach we went to our campsite for hot tea and some creating.  Mom showed us how to make little books and some of us made one, enjoying coloring and stamping and such.

On Friday night we had dinner and then went to Watch Hill for ice cream.  The wind off the water was pretty cold and it was getting late, so it was a quick trip.

Saturday morning brought the same breakfast and then Mom and I went to see Nana, followed by hanging out at the campsite for lunch, and then a quick trip to the campground beach before preparing for dinner.

We had an awesome spread for dinner on Saturday night and afterwards we went to Atlantic Beach to ride the carousel and then returned to have a campfire and s’mores.

We got up and tore down the sites on Sunday morning, I had breakfast with Mom at Dunkin Donuts, and then she headed north and I headed south.

Although the weather wasn’t as great as last year, we all made the most of it and as usual had a wonderful time together, catching up, telling stories, making memories.

Pancake Mix

Awhile back Casey saw a standup performance by Zach Galifianakis where he exclaims “You ain’t got no pancake mix!”  Since seeing it, he occasionally shouts that line at me, sometimes when we are discussing something that requires a “one-up” but most often just to get me to laugh.

Since Christmas though, I’ve kind of ruined the fun of it by responding quite literally to his outbursts, stating that I actually do have pancake mix.  It’s in the cupboard.  I got it from my grandparents in an awesome basket of goodies.

However, on Sunday when I was putting away groceries I discovered that I do not in fact have pancake mix.  “Why do you say that?” you might ask.  Well because Casey is a goofball and has written his name all over my bag of pancake mix, claiming it as his own.  So now when he tells me I have no pancake mix, I cannot retort that I do because his inscriptions have made it his, not mine.

His creativity, and foolishness, sometimes astonish me… but more importantly, make me laugh in a way that creates so much love.

It’s Here!

Happy first day of summer!  It’s already felt like summer here in NoVa for weeks and today was no different.  Hot. Hot. Hot.

To combat creating more heat indoors, we’ve been grilling a lot.  Tonight we had lime chicken topped with Monterey jack cheese and pico de gallo, with chips and guac on the side.  So delicious!

Later this week, I am so excited to escape the Virginia heat for a long weekend.  On Thursday morning, I’m headed north to Rhode Island for my family’s third annual camping weekend.  I’m very excited for the awesome weekend I know we’ll have and also finally getting to share the bump with some of my favorite folk!

Good Nights

Although work days can be a drag, I’m doing much better about making the most of my evenings. Not watching TV really helps!

Last night I got home after a fairly painless commute and got dinner started – barbecue chicken on the grill, brown rice, and broccoli. While the chicken was grilling, I sewed a bunch of quilt squares. When dinner was ready, I ate at the table. Afterwards I completed a few housekeeping tasks and then went for a walk.

When I got home from my walk, I made dessert (chocolate milk and graham crackers topped with cool whip and blueberries, yum) and sat on the porch with my journal. The weather was cool and beautiful and it encouraged me to sit out there more often in the evenings.

This is the kind of night I want to have regularly. I was motivated to make it happen by my final reading of The Happiness Project and some thoughts on my own “resolutions,” small things I can do each day to make my life happier and more content. Although last night Casey wasn’t home until late, which makes it easier to get in my groove, I’m hoping I can just keep making it happen – I know it will be beneficial for both of us.