Beach Trip!

This is my second attempt at this post today - my first attempt was deleted this afternoon, so hopefully this one works out! After finishing all of the laundry, completely unpacking, taking a trip to the grocery store, and catching up on some school work, I decided that I finally had the time to sit down and write about our awesome vacation weekend in Seagrove Beach, Florida. For those of you who have never heard of this place, it is about halfway between Destin and Panama City Beach, a little bit off of the beaten path, very family friendly, and gorgeous! Neal and I took this trip with two other couples from our small group to celebrate our friend Joel's thirtieth birthday (even though he looks like he could be one of the younger members of our group), and because we all have fun together! If you know me very well, you would know that the beach will always be my top choice for a vacation, so I was thrilled when Florida was chosen as the location for our trip. However, I was not so thrilled when I found out that BP had created a huge oil spill in the Gulf just weeks before our trip was scheduled. We thought about cancelling and choosing another place, but I'm so glad we didn't. Not only did I feel good to be contributing to the economy of the Gulf Coast, but I also only saw minimal oil flecks/flakes and just a few tar balls. Other than that, the water was almost completely clear. In fact, the only "pests" in the water happened to be a four foot shark that swam very close to shore and encouraged us all to get out of the water in a hurry and June grass which is a type of seaweed that is very green and tends to be really thick during the month of June. Neither one of these problems actually hurt anyone there, although a few people were terrified of the shark!

We drove the first half of the trip over two days, so we wouldn't be completely exhausted by the time we made it to the beach. Our friend Dave borrowed his parents suburban for the trip and did all of the driving! I am so grateful that he did that, although I know that he had to have been very worn out! We spent the first night of our trip at a LaQuinta in Jackson, Mississippi (it had the cheapest room while still offering breakfast) and were very disappointed to wake up to no water in the entire hotel, because a water main had broken in the area sometime during the night. So, we just ended up leaving a little earlier (and smellier) than we had planned. When we arrived in Seagrove, we immediately hit the beach and played! The water was clear, the sand was white, and we didn't get a drop of rain! Each day at the beach we saw several workers who combed the beach with nets looking for oil and cleaning what they found. They looked miserable, because they all wore long sleeves and pants with gloves, hats, and face masks. I think they were trying to protect themselves from the sun, but they had to be sweltering in those clothes! They were also very interested in the game of "Ladder Ball" that the guys in our group were frequently playing.

In the evenings, we went out for dinner, where we enjoyed lots of yummy seafood and great company. On Thursday night, we explored Rosemary Beach where everyone seemed to have large families that were generally very good looking and well-off. We kind of felt out of place, because we didn't have any little ones with us, although that will be a different story if we go back next year. We saw a movie set up in the park, families playing games, and people spending ridiculous amounts of money on items such as candy and ice cream, but it was fun to explore. On Friday night, we drove to Panama City where we ate at the Boatyard (this was special for Joel and Christy, because this is where they had their rehearsal dinner for their wedding) and I ate some of the best fried grouper and oysters that I have ever had! Then, we walked around looking at the boats that were parked in the harbor and ended the evening with a trip to Ms. Newby's - a very trashy, outdoor, live music club for the locals. It was here that I am not very proud to say that I had a hormone-induced meltdown. I think that I was tired, worried about the smokers around me (even though we were outside), and generally uncomfortable - mostly because I was sweating like crazy. I remember sitting there feeling like I was going to cry and telling myself not to cry, yet the tears just started to flow and there was no turning back. Neal and I went for a walk to calm down, and I couldn't even explain why this was happening, but I felt better to breathe more fresh air and get away from the loud music. It was weird, because usually I would enjoy watching the people in a place like that make fools of themselves, but my hormones would not allow it! By the way, it was at this place that an older woman, who looked like she poses for the after pictures in ads for places to help meth addicts, tried to make out with Neal and each of the other husbands in our group. Neal was the only one that she managed to kiss on the cheek. Needless to say, one of the security guys escorted her home. Also, the lead singer of the band kept reminding everyone to take another "swallow" of whatever beverage they were drinking while sporting a dress that resembled the label of a Budweiser bottle (and was probably painted on, that's how tight it fit) with her thigh-high red boots. Let's just say that this was not the kind of place we usually frequent. I am so glad we chose a condo in Seagrove and not around Panama City - it just seemed too touristy and dirty for me.

On Saturday, we spent the morning at the beach, then came back to the condo, cleaned up, and the guys went to watch a disappointing World Cup game between the US and Ghana while the girls hit up the outlet mall in Destin. I managed to find a great dress for one of my showers and I just couldn't resist a cute little layette for Camden at Carter's. All around it was a successful trip. That night, we went to Coram's, a Waffle House-type establishment that serves more than just breakfast and is a favorite among the locals, for Joel's birthday. I had a pretty good pancake and hash brown here, so I can see why he wanted to go there! After dinner, we enjoyed a beautiful walk on the beach for the sunset. I forgot how much I love that part of a beach trip, and I wished that we had thought to do that every night that we were there - I think that our hunger usually won, though! We drove home yesterday, and I have been wishing I was back in Florida ever since.

I think that my doctor would be very proud of me for staying hydrated, wearing plenty of sunscreen (I even reapplied), and managing to sit in the shade a few times. She was a bit nervous about how late in the pregnancy I was travelling and that I would be outside in the summer heat so much, but she gave plenty of warnings about what could happen if I did not take care of myself, and I'm glad I listened! The only thing that was difficult was the time in the car - my hips and lower back would really start to stiffen up in the car, so I am glad that we made sure this was our last big trip before Camden arrives. For now, I am focusing on doing what I need to around the house to prepare for his arrival and trying to stay cool and comfortable. Here are the pictures that I know you are dying to see:

The bump at the beach - with a few of my toes in the water

27 weeks at the beach

Loved this sunset!

Hangin' out at Rosemary Beach

Romantic picture with the sun setting in the background

The girls on our trip (Christy, Heather, and myself)

Our group

The girls on the beach - Sorry, but I had to leave the beached whale pictures out of this post - I'm just not into posting pictures of myself at 6 months pregnant on a public website. I'm still not happy that someone posted a few of them on Facebook. :(

Heather and I digging our perfectly polished toes in the sand

The view from the balcony at our condo - that water is gorgeous!

"Jersey Shore" night in Panama City - Neal bought matching shirts for all of the guys

The whole group - after dinner at the Boatyard

Yay for Seagrove Beach, Florida!

By the way, today is officially the first day of my third trimester! I am excited that Camden is almost here and that our nursery is almost finished. We still have the showers to look forward to, and I get to spend most of the rest of the pregnancy at home, although I am trying to rest up for when I do have to go back to school. I am not excited about the summer heat, however. I really do feel it much more than I usually do! I also need finish up the curriculum that I promised to work on this summer - and that I have been procrastinating about! We might travel to Houston this weekend to see my family or we'll hang out here. Stay tuned to find out!

Nesting

Neal said to me the other day that he knows that typically women seem to really get into nesting during the pregnancy, but that he feels that he really needs to know that the nursery is done - otherwise we won't be ready for Camden's arrival. He was really worried that our nursery would not get painted and that our furniture would not get set up, etc. Not that I have not had nights that I have stayed awake just thinking about all of the things that need to be done this summer, because, believe me, I have! I just don't talk about it all of the time, because it makes me think about it more, which makes me stay up at night thinking about it, which makes me a really tired, cranky person the next day. So, to make Neal (and secretly, me) more at ease, we did some nesting today! Here is a picture before Neal and his sister painted (I would have helped, but we did not buy the special paint that is safe for pregnant women):

I did contribute by taping all of the edges, because that takes place before the painting and because both Neal and Kendyll think that it is the worst part of painting a room. I was very impressed that it only took them an afternoon to paint this room, because the other rooms that we have painted in our house have usually taken more time. Here is the after picture:

We still need to remove the tape (and set up the furniture), but I just couldn't resist sharing this now, because we are so relieved to have this done! I am so thankful that Kendyll was willing to come over and help - I know she will be tired and sore tomorrow. And, did I mention that she had worked a 12 hour night shift at the hospital on Friday night, so she was really sacrificing a lot to help us! By the way, we chose to paint the nursery a neutral brown (Mississippi Mud at Home Depot), because Neal did not want to have to paint over a color that was clearly meant for a baby's room if we ever happen to move. Also, this is the color that we painted in our bedroom, and I love it because it is neutral, so relaxing, and goes well with several colors. I really think that our fabrics will stand out well with this color. And, just in case you thought I was doing nothing while the nursery was painted, here is a picture of what I painted!

I bought three art canvases and acrylic paints from Hobby Lobby to complete this. A friend of mine suggested that I use dafont.com to find a cool font for the letters, and I borrowed my projector from school to trace the words and pictures. This verse has been really special to me during the pregnancy - it has comforted me any time that I have felt sick or uncomfortable or when I have thought something was wrong (By the way, nothing bad has happened, but with the Internet and hearing other people's stories, pregnant women sometimes freak out about every ache or pain). This is something I have prayed many times over the last six months! The colors were matched to the fabric for the nursery, and Neal suggested the nautical pictures. He has really wanted to decorate our house in a nautical theme, but we haven't found many items that don't look too old-fashioned or that happen to match the colors that we have chosen for the rest of our house. I think it really works in the baby's room, and since I have only chosen stripes and polka dots so far, it will be easy to incorporate. By the way, please do not go out and buy sailboats and other nautical items for the nursery, because I am very picky about what I want the room to look like! I also found some unfinished wood boats and other items at Hobby Lobby that I can't wait to paint soon! Stay tuned for pictures showing continued progress with our nursery. . .

Our Annual Tour of the South

Right after school was let out for the summer, Neal and I left to visit my family and our friends in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. We usually wait until July or August to make this trip, but seeing as how I will most likely prefer to sit on the couch in a nice air conditioned house at that time of the pregnancy (and my doctor would be pretty mad at me if I travelled that late), we decided to go a little earlier for that trip this year. Here is a picture from our trip last year:

This was taken on my grandparents' porch when we were leaving to come home to Fort Worth in 2009. My how things have changed in the last year!

This is my 24 week belly picture which was taken at my grandparents' house by my Nana's beautiful hydrangeas. I wish that I had inherited my grandparents' green thumb, but Neal will tell you that I somehow manage to kill even plastic plants! This time, we started our trip with a visit to Nana and Grandpa's house in Alabama - they will be Camden's great grandparents on my Dad's side of the family. We had a great drive through Louisiana and Mississippi, and Neal was very patient with my frequent need to stop for restroom breaks. He was really surprised when I did have to stop only 30-45 minutes after the first time that we stopped on the trip, but when you take a few elbows or knees (I'm not really sure which) to the bladder, it's time to find a potty! I also listened to my doctor's advice and remembered to get out and walk around every time that we stopped. I'm sure people thought that I looked pretty crazy pacing around behind our car at each stop, but I'd rather have stares from strangers than blood clots. While in Alabama, we were unexpectedly blessed with toys, storage items, videos, and other various kid-friendly items from my uncle! It's a long story, but he had recently purchased a day care that he will be converting into another business, and he needed to get rid of all of the toys and other "kid stuff" that was no longer going to be used. So Camden now has a few toys for when he gets to be a little older! What a blessing!

We also spent a morning on the lake in my grandparents' pontoon boat - this was so relaxing, and we even managed to make it back inside before the rain hit! Even though I know they were tired of the rain, I appreciated the milder temperatures that came along with the daily rain showers that we experienced in Alabama. Plus, everything was so green and vibrant! On our way to Nashville, we stopped for a night to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins in Atlanta. We were able to visit and catch up, enjoy some great food (speaking of, Neal is still raving about my aunt's Boston creme pie), and see my cousin Carly perform in a patriotic show at church. As a social studies teacher, I loved all of the historical references, and Carly is a natural on stage. She knew all of the dances and songs, and I noticed that she was frequently placed in the front of the group. I think it was because she was one of the best! Unfortunately, all of my pictures from Atlanta were from the next morning when we were leaving to drive up to Nashville and half of the group was in their pj's, so I didn't want to post pictures of that, since I know that I certainly do not look my best when I first wake up. I did have a picture comparing my belly to my Grandpa's belly, but unfortunately blogger deleted it tonight, and it is way too late to start this over. I know that this is an OCD thing, but I really want my pictures to be in order when I blog, so check out facebook if you want to see the "belly comparison" picture. When we arrived in Nashville, we met up with our good friends Brantley and Adrienne for lunch (chicken fingers at McDougal's - one of our favorite Nashville spots) and we met their daughter Ainsley - so sweet and precious! Here I am holding her:

It was so neat to see how much our friends have grown up since having a child - it makes me wonder what everyone will think of us when Camden arrives in a few months. We enjoyed lots of great food, conversation, and plenty of laughter in Nashville. Plus, it was great to practice (a little) of what life will be like soon! Neal even took a turn holding Ainsley - I think he's going to be great at this! He was willing to feed her, change her, and help out with anything he could - I have to admit that I was very impressed and excited to see how much he will help out when our son arrives!

Adrienne was so sweet to take me to Target while we were there, so I could do the last half of our registering. I have to say that it was so nice to have someone who had experienced the first few weeks of having a baby, so she already knew a lot about what works and what doesn't. It made it so much easier and faster! I also experienced the not so polite person in the baby aisle who basically told me that I looked like I should be delivering in the next week - not in three months. I just have to say as advice to anyone out there who may not really know how to speak with a pregnant person, just remember that we are hormonal and extra sensitive, so now is not the time to think that it is remotely okay to tell us how huge we look or comment on the number of calories we are eating. Would you say that to someone who is not pregnant? I didn't think so. And, by the way, according to my doctor, I have gained the normal amount of healthy weight for a pregnancy (not too much, not too little) and my uterus measures exactly the same number of centimeters as the number of weeks that I am pregnant, so don't tell me that I look like I should deliver tomorrow! Sorry for the ranting, but really some people need to be informed!

The girls (+Camden - I know he can't wait to meet his future girlfriend!)

We made it back home on Sunday, and since that time, I have been catching up on house work, preparing for a sixth grade workshop that I will be presenting with two of my good friends next week, and going in for another doctor's appointment. This week I had the dreaded gestational diabetes test. I have to admit I was very nervous about this, but I was pleasantly surprised that the glucose drink was not unbearable - in fact, it reminded me of Hawaiian Punch. Also, the hour wait in between getting my blood taken was not bad, because I had a visit scheduled with the doctor. Everything is still fine and normal. She was happy that the trip went well, and she reluctantly allowed us to keep our Florida trip scheduled for the end of June (as long as I promised to stay hydrated and get plenty of "shade"). Camden's heart was still beating a strong 150 beats per minute, and my weight was right where it needs to be (Again, take that, Target lady!). And today, I received my results on the blood work and (drum roll, please) . . .

I PASSED!!! I was so relieved to hear this, because I kept hearing about friends and friends of friends who had failed, so I was worried that I would somehow fail as well - and I was feeling guilty about every single dessert I enjoyed while on our trip (until I found out that this doesn't really affect the test results), so I definitely feel very blessed to know that things are continuing to smoothly and that our little boy is still healthy! Neal and I have also seen my stomach move for the first time (which further convinces Neal that I have an alien in my bell), and Neal has been able to feel his pulse when he puts his hear on my tummy! This is definitely a very cool stage of the pregnancy!

Thanks again to my in-laws who came in for the day today to help Neal install a ceiling fan, a new sprinkler head, lights on our front path, and fix our back door! Ok, so Neal's dad helped with all of that stuff while his mom and I shopped for maternity clothes at Grapevine Mills! We had a great time visiting and bonding today! It was so fun to spend time with Camden's future Nana and I really appreciated all of the new clothes. I feel like I get to be one of the most stylish pregnant ladies thanks to Camden's very generous and wonderful grandmothers! It's great to know that they care so much about our family!

Stay tuned to find out about the red, white, and blue World Cup party that we are attending tomorrow! All I will say is that Neal has big plans for his outfit . . . (think American flag - in the form of pajama pants).