Ten happy moments of the week

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1. We took a quick weekend trip to Boston last weekend and got to catch up with friends that we haven't seen in forever! We had so many laughs and so many fun things to celebrate together.

2. Meeting a sweet and beautiful baby for the first time (of said friends in Boston.)

3. I cooked one of my favorite meals in the whole world this week and it was awesome -- roast chicken with lemon and potatoes and a loaf of Italian bread to dip in all the chicken fat/lemon/garlic sauciness on to bottom of the roasting pan. Hells yes.

4. A relaxing drive back to New York.

5. My best buddy is in town from Egypt and I can't wait to see her beautiful face!!!

6. A kale salad that was so tasty and easy to make, plus it lasted two days in the fridge already dressed!

7. The easiest and most pleasant trip to the DMV in the history of the world. I was in and out in 10 minutes and everyone there was so nice, is this real life?!

8. Feeling baby kicks and movement much more frequently these days. Baby is a morning person right now, so unlike his/her mama.

9. The Giants finally deciding to show up and play some football these past two weeks :)

10. Welcome home greetings from the best brown dog in all the land.

Guest Post: Shmokin' Ribs

It's time for another BryGuy blog takeover. So without further ado...

IIII'm back y'all!

Ah, and this time I have some deliciousness to share with you guys and gals, so gather 'round so Papa B can drop some knowledge bombs of epic and irresistibly tasty proportions. This post is about BARBECUE. If you don't like barbecue, go apply to Mars One because this world doesn't need you.

My mom purchased me a Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker for my birthday and I have been holding off on using it for months. Barbecue takes time and the summer was just too darn full of fun to find a day to smoke. My mom was also on my tail about using it, so I decided to break this bad boy in.

Mount Airy Street Fare

Last week, Bry and I made the spontaneous decision to check out the Mt. Airy Street Fare. It was possibly the most gorgeous night for a food truck festival and Germantown Ave. was packed with people, children, strollers, delicious smelling food trucks and the sounds of live music. We did one full lap of the street to check out all of our food options, Bry grabbed a beer and then we made our first stop for food. 

Ten happy moments of the week

Photo by Fridas Fina

1. Last night, Bry suggested that we skip the gym and head to the Mt. Airy Street Fare. It was a beautiful night and I was crazy sore from the last two days at the gym so I figure, what the heck? It turned out to be a really fun time. We ate some delicious food, listened to some good music and got a taste of how cool Mt. Airy is. Stay tuned for a separate post on the event next week. 

2. Dan dan noodles from Han Dynasty - hot or cold they are amazing. 

3. Not having to run the air conditioner in our bedroom at night anymore. While I love a nice chilly room to sleep in, I cannot stand the noise of a running window AC unit. I'm so happy these nights are cooler and it's been comfortable enough to just sleep with the ceiling fan going. 

4. Cappuccino and a chocolate croissant. Once a week I splurge on a frothy cappuccino and a chocolate croissant from the bakery across the street from my office. I take my time eating that flaky pastry and sipping my delicious drink and I feel transported back to Italy for just a few moments. 

5. A rainy day that turned into a less rainy day for our annual Phillies tailgate with folks from the gym. 

6. No more hangovers. While I'll admit that I miss the social aspect of drinking with friends, I don't miss the debilitating morning headaches. 

7. Cuddle sessions with some of my favorite babies this week. I spent some time on Friday and Sunday with my main man Leo and the beautiful Violet, then I got in some good bonding time on Wednesday night with Julia (aka The Chubbiest Baby on the Block.) 

8. Girls night game night. As you can imagine, we didn't get much game playing done because we were busy talking and laughing but it was still so much fun. 

9. Feeling a little motivation to get moving on the baby nursery. I posted my inspiration items yesterday and think that over the next few weeks I'll start to pick up some things and start the clean-out process. Is this called nesting? 

10. Ribs. BryGuy used his smoker for the first time last weekend and made some really delicious ribs. I think he'll be doing a little guest blog here next week about the process, stay tuned. 

Nursery Inspiration

Nursery Inspiration by marissasays featuring contemporary furniture

So I'm pulling together a post with a pregnancy status update, but honestly, it's still kind of boring. In the meantime, I thought I'd spice things up a bit and share a little inspiration for the nursery. While I'm crazy excited to have a little baby that I can call my very own, at the same time I am grieving because it means my dressing room will no longer be my dressing room. My bright, cheery, feminine and most importantly "mine and only mine" room will be cleared out to make room for toys and diapers and books and little miniature clothing.

Despite my mixed emotions about the room, I figured I should start planning it out. We're not finding out if Baby W is a he or she, but even if we were, I think I'd want the color scheme to be white, grey and, wood tones. Partially because the room is already painted white and the drapes are already grey and white, but also because I think it's so crisp, clean and ethereal... you know, just how I imagine parenting to be (ha!)

My white dresser that was previously in the room will stay and will house the changing pad. Unfortunately, my gallery wall will have to be relocated. The floor will get a soft new carpet and of course, we need a crib! I'm still deciding about a rocker/glider chair but think that I have space to make it work if I can find one I like that doesn't cost an obscene amount of money. Also, I have a little plan up my sleeve for some additional wall decor and a fun mobile substitution. 

What do you think? Think Baby W will enjoy it? I love the idea of a big basket to house blankets, toys, stuffed animals or just the crap that's lying around that you need to hide quickly. 

Happy anniversary my love!

This guy. Will you just look at him? How handsome is he?

Where did the past two years go? Scratch that... where did the past eight years go? It's been a wild ride and I'm so happy that we're on it together. And something is telling me that this next year is going to be our most exciting year yet :) 

Thank you for always strengthening my faith and reminding me to stay humble. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I’m so blessed that we get to spend the rest of our lives together. Happy anniversary my love. 

Wedding related posts:

• Happy Anniversary BryGuy - One Year Anniversary
• Tips for future brides - Part I
• Tips for future brides - Part II
• Our "Style Me Pretty" wedding debut
• Our wedding photos have arrived!
• Post-wedding depression is legit

Ten happy moments of the week

Photo by Kevin van der Leek

1. Surviving the Made in America festival for the third year. Of course when we purchased our tickets, I didn't know that I'd be all kinds of pregnant come the festival. But I was determined to go for my third and final year. It was a slightly different experience being stone cold sober, but I'm proud to report that I made it through two days of craziness, and had some fun in the process. 

2. A beautiful day of stand up paddle boarding and a picnic with friends for Labor Day. Plus, we discovered an awesome park with some gorgeous camping sites a big pool and a lake for activities. I have a feeling we will be back next year!

3. Enjoying some delicious sandwiches and crepes from Cafe L'Aube, if you've never been, I highly recommend that you try it. The staff is wonderful and the food is awesome - must order: croque monsieur deluxe.

4. Getting to the gym this week. Sometimes it's so easy to make excuses not to go, especially when I'm hot and tired but going always makes me feel good and gives me a boost of energy. 

5. Short work weeks. Summer is over in my mind (I know, the calendar says it's not over until Sept 21 or whatever) but for me, summer runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, that's just how it is. So, this week was particularly hard because it means that my life will no longer consist of weekends at the beach. But luckily, every year we get blessed with a four day week to ring in the new season. 

6. Hearing the excitement from my parents as they both start their final school year before retirement. Although personally, they've been living like retirees for years, boating, vacationing, partying on the regular, come June, it will all be official. No more bratty kids (except the ones you gave birth to.) 

7. The start of football. While I'm not particularly happy that sports commentary seems to be all Bry wants to watch on TV and listen to on the radio these days, I am excited for epic Sunday Fundays with friends per our annual football season tradition. 

8. Maternity pants. I bit the bullet. I bought some pants with a wonderful elastic waistband and my life is forever changed. I can still fit into my pre-preggo pants, but they are definitely not feeling the most comfortable on my stomach these days. So, I figured it was time to find some pants that I could wear to work without cutting off my circulation. They are amazing, I might never go back. 

9. Getting to see a lot of friends in one place at one time. There were a bunch of folks in town last weekend for MIA and it was just so nice to get together with everyone and catch up. 

10. Having a glutenous lunch date with my lover boy. Happy Friday!

Zucchini noodles with tomatoes, mozzarella & garlic sauce

You've probably already heard, spaghetti squash, SO last year. Zucchini noodles... all the rage. I thought I'd give them a try since I'm a crazed pasta lover these days and could probably afford to cut back on the gluten. First things first, you have to get your hands on a spiralizer (isn't that the weirdest name?) The cheapest option is going to be the Veggetti but I had a gift certificate so I splurged for the Paderno Spiralizer. Then you gotta get your hands on 3-4 zucchinis and start spiralizing!