Babypoolza with Barb

It's Monday and Barb flew out this morning. We had the best time! Greg was up at Whistler at a chemistry conference and Barb came out with help me with baby appointments and planning. Now Greg has a new passport :)! Thursday after a tough soccer loss I picked up Barb, had dinner, but then had to return to Borel for our Open House. Friday I took off. Yay! We went to the bakery for breakfast, then had a successful 30 week ultrasound where the baby was sticking his/her tongue out!!! Everything looks good. The baby is three pounds and I'm 20 heavier. Hmmmmmm. Then Barb and I went up to the city to meet up with her friend's daughter Nikki at Plant in the Ferry Building. Then, after some help from Bliss' Michael, we enjoyed hours of spa day treatments and pool lounge time. We also walked the really cool labyrinths at Grace Cathedral. Then we ate in the Mission at Andalu. It was great! Saturday we ran some local errands which included baby shopping and stopping off at my school for a car wash fundraiser. Barb got to meet my soccer boys and many colleagues. It was fun and a beautiful day. The subbie got a great wash. Then we went to John Muir Woods and did a pretty strenuous 5 mile hike. It was beautiful and great exercise. We stopped road side and picked up lots of yummy fresh fruit too. Then we enjoyed a drink over looking the bay towards SF in Salislito. We didn't get home until late so we picked up burritos and laughed to movie, Pirate Radio. Sunday was baby day. Oh the week before Greg and I got to do a hospital tour and got a birth plan. We went to a great nursing resource on Burlingame Ave Sunday morning and I got my friend's breastpump all checked out. They called today to say its in good working order and they have all new accessories for me. Its a great resource to have that store and they have all sorts of support classes too. Then we walked through our local farmers market and went to tea. There's a new place in San Mateo that does high tea and it was the cutest. Great tea, food and conversation! We went over and filled out the birth plan. Next week is our labor class so it'll be interesting as to what Greg and I learn to add to the plan. We finished the plan in Central Park's Japanese Tea Garden and then Greg had landed. Oh before Greg left, he refinished my mom and dad's first bureau for baby, it looks great! The three of us went to Cafe Gilbrater for a great dinner in Half Moon Bay. Ahhh, it was great. I got a lot of things organized for baby, had great conversations and learned so much from Barb, my newly painted toes look awesome, and had fun and exercise. Another, fun-filled, busy weekend. Next weekend is the labor course, baby flea sale and maybe more house hunting. Tomorrow we go to the Phillies game, unless its rained out. Go Phils!

Spring Break Part Two: Denver

Paige and the City shower and bachelorette party was a HUGE success! I got to Denver on Thursday night and met up with Mandy and Marie, (Paige's other bridesmaid) and we got all of our errands complete. Greg flew in late Friday and finally it was all happening. We had the best Paige friendly menu at our Sex and the City themed shower: smashed potato bar with yummy fixins, homemade mozz sticks, grilled veggie sangs, salads, fruit, cheese, crackers, Ellen's awesome cupcakes, cosmos, and a green tea fruit splash for non-alcohlic desires all served in martini glasses with martini glasses filled with chocolates for favors. It was really fun, lots of people came from Falcon Creek. Brooke, Mandy, Marie, and Ellen were all huge helps. During the inbetween time (before bachlorette) Paige, Marie and I went and bought wedding shoes. Then THE NITE started. It started with a BANG with the Pasquini's Pizza Delivery boy, enough said :) Then we went in Mandy's rented mini van to Lime, then Sing Sing, then some dance club and Paige literally hit the floor around 3AM in Brooke's basement. There was lots of laughter, dancing, singing, and general tomfoolery, she is ready to get married now. Sunday, while Paige wasn't feeling too hot, we met at Ellen's for a little snack. Brooke had designed and organized a little baby shower for me. It was SUPER CUTE! It was so sweet and nice and the gifts were oodles of cute. Greg and I also got to spend a little time with Asa and Sabi. They were in town with Mandy and Noah waiting to go to Costa Rica. I can't wait to hear all about their trip. Kyle's bachelor party was a success too. They went to the casino, then to a Rockies game then out and about. It was great weather, great times with friends and family and a great, great weekend. Ahhh I love Denver and all times we get to spend there with friends.

Babymoon!

Why a babymoon is a great idea…

So we just got back for our super relaxing babymoon yesterday. It was so perfect. We explored California’s Central Coast. Both of us agreed it felt like we had flown somewhere else, yet it was only a 3.5 hour drive south. We first stayed in the Backbay neighborhood of sleepy Morro Bay. Our place was fantastic, right on the bay with chairs outside. Before we got there we stopped for dinner at Novo, in San Luis Ospismo. This college town is super cute and the dining by the creek at Novo was amazing, yummy food! Saturday we did three separate, easy, flat hikes around nature preserves, forests, and to a look out point of the famously huge Morro volcanic Rock. It was very leisurely and fun. We read outside, went to a farmer’s market, and had a good dinner across the street from our Backbay Inn. (Greg also enjoyed our wine happy hour.) Sunday we drove south a little to Montana Oro State Reserve and did a hike along the coast. It was beautiful. We got to Pismo Beach and drove around this touristy, Santa Cruz type surf town, then checked into the plush Cliffs Resorts to start the babymoon package that came with a little baby onezie. At 5 we had the best couples massage then enjoyed dinner at their restaurant and watched Crazy Heart in the room. Ahhhh, blissful. Monday we walked along the streets, parks, tidal pools, oceans for about 6 miles to downtown Pismo to enjoy the famous clam chowder at Splash Café. (We took a taxi home after a hearty lunch ☺) We lounged by the pool, although it was quite windy, and then went to the bar to watch Duke win, yet again against Cali’s Butler University. At night we watched Up in the Air. Tuesday we woke up, ate yummy breakfast outside listening to the waves crash and decided to do a little wine country. There’s over 200 wineries near Paso Robles in San Luis Ospismo County. We hit up three, I was the dd ☺. At Eberle, we sat outside on the sunny deck overlooking the vineyards and at the last winery we had paninis in an old (musty) train car while college kids were filming a movie. (That was rather strange). I drove the easy three hours home and we had pizza and fell asleep early. This type of vacation is so not typical Greg and Jes. We lounged, walked on flat ground, ate a lot and didn’t spend hardly any money on pricy activities like scuba diving, but it was pure relaxation and just want we wanted and needed. Now after a day’s stopover in San Mateo, grading papers at Borel, we’re off to Denver for Paige and Kyle’s shower/bachelorette and bachelor. Let the fun begin!