I'm taking a break from NPR and MI Radio for a while - a usual on my commute to and from work. Instead, I started listing to that random station that plays classical music from Beethoven and Mozart. Makes me feel pretty pretentious as I drive sipping my coffee, but I'm sure like most of you... I need a break from all the 'noise.' There's lots of heaviness happening lately - heavy words, heavy hearts... just heavy - and I can't do happy hour right now so classical music is what I'm working with.
So what's good lately?
Two weekends ago we headed north to Harbor Springs with a GIANT group of friends where we rented a very large house and hung out for a long winter weekend - seven bedrooms, seven bathrooms, indoor hot tub, sauna, ping-pong table and all the living space we ever needed. We ate big meals together, played games and let the kids run wild. Us ladies took a morning to ourselves and visited Boyne Highlands Spa where I got a great prenatal massage and manicure followed by lunch together. Later in the weekend the guys took off for the gun range and to go bowling for the afternoon. We made fires in the wood fireplace, caught up on everyone's life and watched Disney movies on repeat. It was a good weekend.
Last week at work the digital team gathered in Grand Rapids for a summit on dot.com. With team members in from all over the globe we made the most of our social time together including a visit to the Meyer May house in Heritage Hill after work hours. I'd never been before and if you haven't been, I recommend checking it out. I learned the house is owned by Steelcase and was renovated to it's original glory in the 80s. Today it's run as if it were a museum and is open for tours to the public (for free!) on Sunday, Monday and Tuesdays. Steelcase actually wines and dines it's customer groups there during sales visits which I think is pretty brilliant. The Meyer May house is a good thing.
Inside the Meyer May House sitting on one of the designer chairs that's much too small for my height - the entire structure was made for a family closer to 5 feet.
Last weekend my parents were in town for a visit. We took them to the Gerald Ford Museum where we also checked out the Four Chaplains event put on by the local American Legion. A little over a year ago the museum renovated its second floor and they did a fabulous job. I learned Ford was our most athletic president and he was our last president to be a Mason - something my Dad appreciates being one himself. Afterwards we grabbed lunch at Horseshoe Smokehouse. The waffle fries were good.
Grandma Smith and Natalie at the Gerald Ford Museum.
On Sunday I did yoga for the first time in I can't remember when. I usually enjoy hot yoga during the wintertime (followed by a long hot shower - thee best!) but the extreme heat isn't recommended during pregnancy so I've taken a break. However, our neighbor who is in the process of training as a yoga instructor was co-teaching at West Side Yoga for 'warm' yoga and a few other neighbor girls and I jumped on board. It was real good.
And this weekend will mark 30 weeks pregnant! Yahooo, my friends, yahoo! I had a doctors appointment this morning and baby boy is growing perfectly. I went ahead and made all my remaining appointments for these next couple months and we'll keep rolling on hanging up curtains and stocking the newborn diapers in the nursery. Feeling strong and really good.
Natalie and her little brother. She's starting to 'get it.'
POSTSCRIPT - What we're into lately...
- West Wing on Netflix - I started watching this completely outdated show a few months back and it's been my go to show when I'm looking for easy entertainment. Clean and honest storylines.
- Finding Nemo - Oh. My. Word. She won't stop watching it. Just saw today that Finding Dory is out on Netflix. Praise Jesus. He hears us.
- That Early Bird - Solid coffee and increasingly tasty menu. Great for heads down time and for meeting a friend for conversation. Try a lemon thumbprint cookie. Yum.
- Girlfriend Collective - Want super high end leggings for only the price of shipping ($20)? Ordered mine a few weeks ago and lots of friends followed suit. Haven't received them yet but have heard rave reviews. It's a new company and this is their kick off campaign.