Sentimental Sundays - Catching up on June

(I think this blog hop is supposed to be for crafters...ooops. Oh well)

Baby Update

Being pregnant has exposed me to some realities of pregnancy that women just don't really talk about.  Everyone mentions their morning sickness or their terrible birth stories, probably because our society thrives on shows like CSI, Grey's Anatomy and House.  Obsessed with dramatic health.  Women don't talk about the growing pains like back pain, migraines, gas, and constipation. And sadly they rarely talk about the JOYS of being pregnant. 

I want to hear more stories about sweet or romantic things people do for women while they are pregnant.  I want to know the honest-to-God truth about what is going on with my body.  I want to hear women celebrate the first time they feel the baby, or the crying from the overwhelming love for the little one growing inside.

With that, here's a quick reality of my pregnancy this month: the baby is using up my already low supply of calcium.  I had to get two fillings recently and one of them redone.  At least both visits were so quick that I barely prayed the Holy Spirit Pentecost Novena before the procedures were done.

Joys in the pregnancy this month:  people noticing that I am pregnant and holding doors for me, letting me cut in bathroom lines, caring my take out order to the car,  Co-workers and kids asking dozens of questions.  Family worried that I will be over heated or dehydrated this summer, and checking in on my exercise regime to keep me healthy.

Teen Leader Retreat

June 10-12 Eric and I, along with four other adults, took 12 high school kids to my grandparents cabin in North Carolina for a retreat and leadership training weekend.  We taught the kids about leadership, commitment, a holy life style, accountability, prayer and relationships, while they still had plenty of time to roam the 5 acres of woods and relax in the fresh mountain air. 

Eric was the lead on the kitchen crew and he did an amazing job.  Lots of yummy food (and cheap!).  The rest of the adults pulled together the retreat schedule, talks, small groups, etc.  I am really looking forward to working with this leadership group for next year.  I feel like God chose a fine group of young people to help us lead the youth group.

Reading & Book Club

I had taken a short break from book club because I was immerced in pregnancy books, and honestly, too tired to read.  But now I am back in the swing of reading and have a few good summer gems.  Having our awesome $90 Kindle has made reading easier.  I keep that thing with me almost all the time. And if I don't have it, I can pull up the app on my phone.  Everything stays synced so I can pick up where I left off.

While at the airport going to/from Columbus I reread

Something Borrowed by Atlanta's own Emily Giffin.  Love her. Love the book. Love the movie. Need a quick beach read that's only mildly trashy...read this and Something Blue

Book club read Perfect on Paper . It was cute.  Not the finest writing, and the story was a little far fetched, but some of the nuances the author notes about life were pretty funny. And the romance of the story was still cute.

I am working through one of my favorite Atlanta authors, Mary Kay Andrews' new books Summer Rental.  It's a little different than her other books...less home make over, more detective.  But I guess her books kind of alternate in theme if you consider all of them.  This one takes place in Nags Head instead of some place in Georgia.  I miss not being able to picture exactly what she's describing because I'd been there.  Testament to her writing...I have a good idea :)

Eric has been reading a series of mysteries that are driving him crazy...in the sense that they have multiple story lines that don't come together until the end.  The suspense of his books are making him carry his book around the house to keep reading at any given quiet second.  Maybe he'll post about his latest books soon?

Father's Day x3

One of the great things about being twenty minutes away from both sets of parents (unfortuantley in the opposite direction) is that we get to celebrate holidays with both sides of the family, often in the same day or the same weekend.  It can be a bit crazy and eat away an entire weekend, but it's family! We love it!

I wanted to do a little something for Eric for Father's Day.  Eric isn't one of "junky" gifts.  They need a purpose or to be an experience.  Sentimental things like a figuring, wall hanging, etc serve no purpose.  Practical things like bike parts or brewing equipment have no ties to Father's Day.  So I decided to make him a nice dinner with his favorite foods.

He loves fish, and I don't care for it, so we rarely cook it.  It was his night so I made him so tilapia on a bed of spinach with a shallot, lemon butter sauce (all from Whole foods, thank you gift card!).  A side of green beans, and a broccoli soup (all from the CSA).  With the execption of the light breading on the fish, everything fit his desired Paleo Diet, was organic and mostly locally grown.  Oh and high in iron, we both come from animic families.  Win!

For his gift I bought him two cans of coffee.  Now, Eric isn't much of a coffee drinker, but this was my forward thinking gift to him - late nights and early mornings with baby = a need for coffee.  This isn't just any coffee...it's two of his favorite local breweries that come together to make a beer, then the coffee beans (from a local coffee shop) are soaked in the beer.  The product?  A delicious malty yet manly coffee!  Want to try? Check out JitteryJoes.com

For his Dad we got up at the crack of dawn to run the Father's Day 4-miler at Turner Field.  A small race hosted by the Atlanta Track Club.  We had a great time!  After we had a cook out at Dan & Leeann's house and then spent the evening at the Braves Game dodging rain and lightening.  We left around the 5th inning after the second rain delay was called at 6:30.  The game didn't resume until after 8 and went into extra innings.  We were already home, had dinner, watched house and went to bed before the game was over.  Eric's Dad enjoyed the day though we joked that we made him go running and then took him to a crappy baseball game...haha Love you, Dad ;-)

Today is Father's Day for my dad, we're having a quick after Mass lunch before we pile in the cars to go to Savannah.  Paige is having baby Zachary tomorrow, so we went to spend time with them tonight and help them get checked into the hospital!  Can't wait!  Oh, we got my dad a 50mm lens for his camera.  Guess who is going to be borrowing that until I can save up for mine (stupid red light ticket!)