Chicago

This past weekend we took a quick trip to Chicago with Rob's mom and Peter. Overall, it was a fantastic trip and I can't wait until we can go back again. I loved Chicago! We flew in on Saturday and we spent the day walking, shopping and eating. It was wonderful!

On Sunday morning, Rob and I took an Architecture River Cruise on the tour boat "Chicago's First Lady" (which I think is such a cute name for a tour boat). The weather was perfect and the tour was great! I would recommend this tour to anybody. I like architecture, but I don't know anything about it, so this tour was a great way to learn a little about architectural design. Plus, I gained a better understanding of how the city of Chicago is laid out around the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. After a little more eating and shopping, we flew back to Nashville. Such a great weekend!

Third Trimester!

Here I am or, rather, here "we" are at the beginning of my third trimester. It's amazing I can fit through that doorway! Just kidding. This dress makes me look bigger than I actually am. Seriously. But, I love it anyway.

Baby Clay really enjoys kicking, hiccuping and dancing around. His favorite time to get fired up is around 5:30 or 6:00 in the morning. Fortunately, I'm a morning person too, so I don't mind all the belly jumbling at that early hour. I'm feeling great - most of the time. I still get tired very easily and finding ways to sleep comfortably is getting more difficult each week. Rob laughs at the numerous pillow arrangements I create throughout the night. I've made them an art form.

Overall, everything is going really well, and I am looking forward to the last chapter of my pregnancy. But, I feel like we still have so much to do. Our "to-do" lists are rapidly growing!

My Weekend

Rob and I took a "mini-vacay" to Knoxville, TN this past weekend. It was a very short trip, but well worth it. Despite my best intentions, I did not take a single picture the entire weekend. Rats. We left on Friday afternoon and once we arrived in Knoxville, we stopped by the law firm where we used to work. It was great seeing some old friends (and employers, but I consider them friends too) for a little while. After our brief visit in the office, we checked into our hotel downtown and got ready for dinner. We dined at Naples the Italian restaurant where Rob proposed over four years ago. The restaurant has not changed one bit - thank goodness. I like it the way it is.

Later, we drove around UT's campus and the adorable neighborhood where I rented a condo while I was in school. It was so much fun seeing everything again. Even though we have been back to Knoxville since we've been married, this was the first time I really looked around and focused on how much I enjoyed that time in my life. On Saturday, we browsed the farmer's market and did a little shopping in Market Square. Later, we went by my parents' house to spend a few, short hours with them. Sunday included breakfast outside in Market Square and another quick drive through part of town before heading back to Nashville.

I didn't take any pictures of this weekend, but I thought I would post a picture of us from my college graduation day which took place in Knoxville over four years ago ...pre-wedding, pre-mortgage, pre-careers, pre-baby... you know, pre-responsibility!

Looking Back

The past few months have been full of major life changes for me and my family. Sometimes I have trouble comprehending how much has happened since February of this year...moving to another state, finding out I was pregnant, the birth of my nephew, quitting my job, etc. Most days I am so ridiculously happy that I can hardly believe it. Yesterday I found myself thinking back to how I was feeling around this time last year which I can truthfully admit was a time I was not quite as happy. For various reasons, I felt very discontented with many aspects of my life. I felt as though I was living through a "transition" period. I knew I wouldn't be in that place forever yet I didn't know how long it would take to move out of it. Looking back, I know I learned a lot and I grew enormously as a person. But, I am so thankful to be where I am today!

At one point last summer, my mom came to Louisville to visit with us for a few days. While she was there, she bought me this little garden sign (and lots of beautiful plants). The sign was to remind me to "laugh" whenever I looked out onto my backyard and saw it sitting in a huge pot of purple flowers. It is still in the same pot with the same purple flowers - that have grown much larger - but in a different backyard. My new backyard. Seeing this little sign still makes me smile, but it also reminds me of how much can change in a year!

Dinner with Friends

On Saturday, Rob's mom and Peter hosted a small Italian-themed dinner party where they re-created some of the dishes Nonie and Tita taught us in our Umbrian cooking class, and they also included some of their own favorite recipes which made for a perfectly blended Italian feast. Each course was spectacular and the presentation was flawless!

For appetizers, we had two different types of tortas. One was filled with shrimp and cheese and the other contained prosciutto, arugula and cheese. The second course was a salad of purple heirloom tomatoes (delicious!), fresh mozzarella (flown in from Italy) and fragrant herbs. As the main course, we had pasta with pomodorini pachino (oven-cooked cherry tomatoes) and Peter's special Veal Bolognese. For dessert, Barbara prepared two types of semi-freddo: pistachio and chocolate-cherry. I absolutely LOVED them! They taste like ice-cream, but they are prepared with cream and eggs which make them fluffy and soft without being frozen solid. I must get her recipe!

Rob and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting with friends and I am kicking myself for not taking any pictures of her beautiful table setting and amazing food. She rivals Martha Stewart in style and attention to detail!

Veggie Tales

I recently decided to embrace my inner "green goddess" and start a vegetable garden. (Yeah, I didn't know I had one of those either!) My sweet cousin, Sarah, has provided me with some helpful advice for starting a garden and I am very grateful for her assistance. Along with her helpful tips, she sent me some pictures from her own vegetable garden for inspiration. I could not resist posting these for two reasons: 1) her garden looks amazing! 2) her dog, Bluegrass, is such an adorable addition.

I probably won't start my own vegetable garden until next spring when my belly won't be in the way as much (hopefully!), but I am very excited about it. Thanks for all your help, Sarah!