The Start of Summer

With my summer break starting not too long ago, Eric and I had made some big plans for what we would do with my first couple of weeks off. We were so excited to have our good friends Shane and Rachael in town from Las Vegas for the first week off. Shane and Eric played in the member-guest golf tournament at the country club while Rachael and I relaxed and did typical girl things. It is always a blast seeing those two and hopefully we will see them again in September for a Notre Dame game!

Our 2 week summer vacation went into the next phase on Sunday soon after Shane and Rachael left for the airport. We had a nice father’s day brunch with Eric’s dad and then packed up our bags for our 3 city road trip. First stop: Geneva, Illinois. Eric had been invited by Brad, someone that Eric’s company does business with, to play in a charity golf tournament in Geneva. Geneva is about 1 hour west of Chicago is perhaps the cutest little town I have ever seen. We were lucky enough to go during their “Swedish Days” festival that is held every year. There were so many street vendors, bands, and little shops that could have kept me entertained for weeks on end. And the hotel we stayed at could not have been better. A quaint little balcony overlooking the river, a sitting area with a toasty fireplace, and warm cookies and perfectly cold milk brought to you before bedtime. Really, does it get any better??

We left Geneva on Tuesday to head up to Milwaukee for the Twins- Brewers game. I was a little disappointed that I could not enjoy one of Miller Park’s finest brews, but was so excited to see a new ballpark and cheer on the Twins. Eric did an awesome job with finding tickets online and our seats for right behind home plate! The Twins couldn’t pull off a victory, but we had a blast anyway.

Wednesday morning came a little early as we wanted to get on the road by 8 am to avoid Milwaukee traffic. The final leg of our trip was one we were looking forward to for a long time: 5 days up on Lake Millie Lacs with our friends Brent and Brenda. The trip was made even better since Brent had proposed to Brenda the day before!! We spent our time celebrating, fishing, and just enjoying some sunshine. I caught my first walleye and Eric filleted up our catches like a champ. We even went to a meat raffle! Eric and I didn’t win any meat, but leave it to the pregnant lady to win a free cocktail J. There were some perfect nights for fishing on the lake and you couldn’t have asked for a prettier sunset.

We are home in Rochester until we head to Pensacola Beach for Eric’s mom’s birthday next week. It will be nice to relax and get some household chores done. And I suppose Eric should go to work. Sidenote: Eric played in a Minnesota State Amateur golf qualifier on Tuesday and qualified!! The tournament is later on this month so I will keep you updated. Fingers crossed that he does well!

Forbidden Fruits & Satisfying Substitutes

When the word “baby” first made its way into our daily conversations at home, I started reading all of the “I’m going to be a new Mom so I am hoping to be dreadfully over prepared for my first doctor’s visit” books I could find. Besides the shock of the potential weight gain and the promise of little to no sleep that would be coming, I had to just drop my jaw at the list of foods and activities that I was now to avoid at all costs. For the most part, it has been pretty easy to stick to the list knowing that the little bundle of joy coming in November will be worth every missed bite of a medium rare steak and sip of a perfect margarita. However, when 24 weeks seems like 24 years, I turn to my now favorite substitutes to keep me happy and the little one healthy. Here are some that have become my pregnancy staples:

1.) Replace a Jimmy John’s #16 (oh-so-delicious) with a #6 with hot peppers. I love Jimmy John’s. And since we did not have one in Phoenix, it was still a delicacy to me once we got to Minnesota. But then Heidi Murkoff goes and tells me that lunch meat is not something one should consume if they are “Eating Well While You’re Expecting.” So when that aroma of fresh baked bread comes over me, I get the all veggie sandwich with hot peppers to add some spice. Really pretty tasty, even without the meat!

2.) Replace running hard with 30 minutes on the stair climber. Yes, I am one of those people that really enjoy running. I’ve never had coordination so running has always been something I could do and do well. When I get on the treadmill though, I want to test it to see how fast I can go and for how long. Turns out, the baby isn’t a huge fan of that. Having to keep my heart rate around 140, I turned to the escalator-looking contraptions at the gym. At first, I only lasted 8 minutes. These things really work your legs! Now, I just grab whatever book I am reading and set the timer for 30 minutes. My heart rate stays regulated and my thighs, calves, and tush get a workout like never before.

3.) Replace a tasty Cabernet with a wine glass of grape juice. Let’s be honest, there is no replacing a nice glass of red wine. My search for must have ‘mock’tails started with instructions on making a virgin dirty martini. It said “1.)Place two olives in glass. 2.) Enjoy).” It gave me a good laugh but made me realize that water doesn’t have to be the only beverage a pregnant lady consumes. Sometimes making pasta sauce at home just feels more relaxed with a little of Welch’s finest in some nice stemware. And though I tell Eric I would like a margarita brought to me after I deliver, there have been a few other favorites that make me feel a little less out of the loop when out with friends like the classic Arnold Palmer (iced tea and lemonade), a virgin Gary Miller Lite ( I think you need to live in Rochester to know about this one- Diet Tonic, a splash of cranberry juice, and a lime), and an O’Doul’s Amber.

4.) Replace sleeping on your back with a really comfy side pillow. Since sleeping on your back in pretty much forbidden after week 20, and I am strictly a back sleeper, I have started to prepare myself for an additional 20 weeks of side sleeping. The first couple weeks went really bad. But after going through all of the pillows in the house and finding the perfect match for me, I have mastered the side sleeping. Bring it on pregnant belly.

All that being said, we are so excited to be expecting the little one and thank you all for the well wishes! This is the latest picture of Baby Deutsch waving hello.