Recovering

Last week was a rough one. Patrick came down with some kind of stomach bug, leaving Joe and I to do some flipflopping business on Friday. I got pulled over on the way to work, and after not getting much sleep, I turned on the tears and cried myself out of a speeding ticket. I don't usually speed there either. I was just in such a rush and I now take it as a gentle reminder that life is short, slow it down! I hoped when I came home that my weekend would just get better. I mean, with a view like this ahead of us, how could it not?



Well who knew this would be one of only two pictures I took all week long. My stomach started to ache early Saturday morning, but I just brushed it off and went on with our day..only to find myself nearly keeling over a few hours later thinking death was eminent! Thankfully, my wonderful husband was there to rescue me from the toddler who just wanted to climb all over me in my state of disrepair. He even made the toddler dinner!

Thankfully, by Sunday, I was feeling much better, although robbed of my weekend..now, just five more days...



The other shot? Oh? This was a quick sneaky one...I was too bashful to ask to take a picture of all the beautiful Matroiska dolls!

Weekending

Sometimes it's so easy to get wrapped up in the humdrum of life taking hold each weekend. With teaching, Joe and I often find ourselves amazingly exhausted during the week, especially after much needed playtime with Patrick as every minute from 3:30 until bedtime is dedicated to him and dinner in between. This leaves the weekends for catching up, cleaning up, and doing laundry. We've done a few things to make our lives easier, like streamlining "lunch making" for Patrick to having a 4 week menu, but that still leaves absolute to do things on weekends. In between, we try to find some time to live, especially now that it's getting warmer.

This weekend found us gazing at some fun antiques...




Crossing the Delaware by foot...



Smelling the flowers...



Eating good food...



and of course, enjoying the love of our life...



Come on out of the woodwork! Where did you wander this weekend?

A Gathering with the Girls..



...and their babies...and their husbands...

Joe and I made our way on one of our last pre-baby roadtrips this past weekend. We headed up to Northampton, Massachusetts. I was fortunate enough to visit Avi once before, but Joe did not venture with me. Noho is just an awesome town that he needed to experience for himself. Although we got off to a late start and did not get to explore town the first day, by the second, when things had quieted down, we were walking around with our gracious hosts.

The gathering was amazing. Good friends, old and new, gathered with great food. Little ones abound, little ones I'd known only in the womb before! And although the style of partying may have changed, the company sure has not. I can't wait to do it again!

Berry Time!

Joe and I went Strawberry pickin' today with Diana and Barbara. The weather was spectacular. The fields were ripe. The berries were sweet!! We'll be makin a pie in a little while and we've already had some smoooothies! I almost didn't go. The thought of bending over and getting up and down so often was NOT very appealing to me with the imposing tum! I managed fine though! It was obvious that I didn't have quite as many berries as everyone else, but then again, that's allowed when you are nearly 7 months pregnant!

The Bonaparte Estate


It's a rare occasion that they open the Bonaparte Estate here in Bordentown for tours, so when I got the email last night mentioning today's tour, we couldn't pass it up! It wasn't as exciting as I'd hoped it to be, but none the less It was certainly worth my time! I now know where to look for the infamous Bonaparte Tunnel along the creek, and we were able to see the creek from above, a completely different view than I am ever used to. It was a nice little hike for a Sunday afternoon.

Life takes over

Do you ever feel like the world is crashing in on you? I'm sure you have, but take a magnifying glass, aka pregnancy, and magnify it by 10!! This week I've got a lot weighing on my shoulders. From my first OB appointment to my second observation to two very important meetings to round out the week, the upcoming 3 day weekend will surely be well deserved. I just hope I can survive the next five days!

Freedom!!

Living alone for a few days is always one thing..Joe goes away every year to the NWP convention from usually a Thursday through a Sunday, leaving me home alone..Two years ago, he whisked off to Silverthorne, CO for the Key Issues workshop, leaving home for a week. Fortunately, at the same time, I headed on a road trip myself with my best friend Lori to Atlanta, Georgia. Last year, I headed off to Silverthorne for the very same workshop. So it's been quite a while, if ever, that I've ended up alone for an entire week! Joe headed out to Chico, CA for a National Writing Project Technology Matters conference for the week leaving me to my own devices!

It's going to be nice actually..some quiet time without the guitar, a tv that doesn't run nonstop video games, and the idea that I'm going to just relax for the whole week! I took a walk today to start it out after my workshop. I also cooked myself dinner. I promised Joe I'd eat all the bananas, apples, and grapes that were around before he got back. It's really just an attempt to eat well for the week. Unfortunately, the grapes, that I JUST bought on Sunday, were covered in MOLD today :( I think I'll have to buy more grapes just to show him I didn't just junk the old grapes in the composter..In lieu of the grapes, I ate one of the organic bananas.

Denali is already off on the wrong foot. He decided he wasn't going to let me know he was locked in the back room when I got home last night. If Joe were around, of COURSE, Denali would have let his voice be heard. Unfortunately, he spent the night alone!

Here's to a retreatful week!

What Weekend?

Here I find myself..10:30 on a Monday morning..wondering what happened to my weekend. Where exactly did it go? I woke up on Saturday morning, ready to go. The street fair was abound, the weather was fantastic, and there was a knock on the door. A what? at 10 am on saturday? Oh, it MUST be the neighbor...

not exactly..

"Can I help you?"

"uhm..you are Joe Conroy's wife? no?"

My mind begins to race..all of a sudden, I remember Joe's writing marathon. He had mentioned it in passing, but said that it wasn't happening. Here they were, several individuals revved to write. Joe asleep on the couch inside, the house in somewhat shambles..what do you do?

Well..I left them on my porch, of course! I ran inside to get Joe. Then frantically ran through each room trying to clean before they made it to that room.

Yeah, the rest of the weekend followed in a similar suite..so much for relaxing ehh?