Best Friend + Great Seats + Winning Team = Perfect Day

What a great day, seriously just a great Sunday. Today Baby J went to her first Panthers game with Kim and I! Daddy got us killer tickets. They were club level - which meant we had access to the air-conditioned, indoor club level. But wait, it gets better - we didn't really need the A/C, because our seats were in the shade!!!!! Amazing! It was relatively hot today, and we saw friends who got burnt in the sun. But in our wonderful, shaded seats, we had a nice breeze and a great view of our winning team! Kim, my very bestest friend, and I rarely get to hang out. Today we went to the game together - 30's style. We traded tailgating for brunch at 131 Main on East Boulevard. We chugged a lot of water and gatorade instead of beers. We were even there in time to see kick-off, and stayed until it was over. (People actually do watch entire games, who woulda thought??) The Panthers won, the shade was GLORIOUS, the quality time with my best friend was fabulous. Oh and my brunch of a wedge salad minus the blue cheese crumbles (darn those pregnancy rules about no soft cheeses) and a side of biscuits was simply the best. hahaha That's no joke about a side of biscuits, and man were they good...
Daddy was of course working the game. I have never been to a Panthers game where Travis and I have not found each other. We always manage to spot each other - I wait until a time out or something and I stand up and wave until he sees me, of course with him knowing which section I'm sitting in. Today was no exception. Got to wave to Daddy down on the field while he was "working hard." Baby J kicked quite a bit during the game - I think she really enjoyed her first football experience. Her Daddy will be very happy to hear that! I think that was the single most relaxing football game I have ever been to - a stark contrast to the Tech game last month where we were so miserably hot and walked all over uptown Charlotte 67 times. (Sidenote: Once again, Virginia Tech and the Panthers were victorious in the same weekend).

When I go to bed tonight I will say to myself, "yeah, today was a good day."

Angel Dog

I wanted to post an update on our progress with Lexi's (aka Angel Dog's) training! OK, maybe Angel Dog is a stretch...but she is doing so well! Tuesday night we had our second session with Jake the trainer. Jake was very pleased with Lexi's hard work after week 1. In one week's time, we successfully got Lexi off the furniture and out of our bed. It was easier than we thought. Now was it easy?? No...but easiER. We had to endure some dog whimpering and some puppy dog eyes as she looked up at us, cozy in the bed, not understanding why she couldn't join us. But she quickly learned to love her doggie bed. As you can see above, Mommy took a little of this guilt straight to Petco and Lexi got a new bed and Red Dog out of the deal. She loves them both and maybe they make up for the stress of her training even just a little bit. We have mastered the 'heel' command, we are doing well with 'off' (i.e. get off the countertops, get off of Harley), and we are working on 'come' this week. The other big challenge this week will be to get her to quit freaking out at the doorbell. She has managed to get into the trash a few times while we were gone - I think her way of saying, 'yeah, what are you going to do now?' haha But overall the progress is phenomenal. The whole family is doing great with the new rules. Harley is still perched on the kitchen counter quite often (gross, we know). But she is realizing slowly that she has a little more freedom now that Lexi is beginning to mellow out. When training first started, Lexi seemed a little depressed that her world was changing. As you can imagine that was hard for us. As we get further into it, Lexi's personality and energy are coming back and we are so proud of her and her accomplishments!!!

A Very Proud Wife

Our alarm went off early Saturday morning - 5:20 to be exact. We had to get going to get to Waxhaw in time for the Cane Creek Triathlon! Travis had planned to do the entire triathlon, but as I think I mentioned on an earlier post...a quick tune-up of his bike in the shop revealed that the frame was cracked beyond repair and unsafe to ride. So...Travis and his best friend Cameron decided to combine their strengths and compete as a relay team. Travis would swim the 750 meters, Cameron would do the bike and the run. Here is a picture of Cane Creek before the race started. Beautiful morning, but VERY cool! I was so worried about Travis jumping in that water, many other people had on wetsuits. Turns out the water was about 77 degrees and the air was only 54, so the water felt warm when he was in it! (Not to mention he was swimming 750 meters, which I imagine warms you up a bit...)

The relay teams were in the last heat, so Cameron's daughter and I waited patiently to see some purple swimcaps. Of course, once we did, we saw that Travis was at the very front of the heat, finishing before many other colored swimcaps (earlier waves). I thought I spotted him, and sure enough he pops out of the water, smiles up at me and throws me two peace signs over the water. hahaha I guess it's a combination of being so proud of him, being relieved he made it safely across the lake, and just loving him so darn much. But I got so choked up! I wanted to cheer for him, but I could hardly make a peep for fear of embarassing myself with a sob, so I just waved back. And that is so Travis - he's at the end of this terribly challenging physical feat - he's in a race, in a lake, for crying out loud. And there he pops out to wave at me and smile which was so cute.

Travis and Cameron proved to be the dynamic duo. Cameron continued what Travis started and really pushed himself on the bike, passing tons of people and finishing with a great time. He said he did OK on the run - neither of them like to run or consider it their strong point and somehow Cameron lost that battle and had to run. :) Travis had named their team "Team Slackers". At the awards ceremony, the announcer says, well this team didn't live up to their name, because in first place we have Team Slackers! Now Travis chuckles at this victory because there were only six relay teams. But hey, they finished first out of six!! Travis certainly hasn't been training much, so I find it extremely impressive they he can just jump in a lake and swim 750 meters like it's nothing! So there you have it, I am the proud wife of a first-place triathlete!!!!!!

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes DOG TRAINING, then comes Sara with a baby carriage!

Lexi had her first day of school yesterday with the Dog Wizard. We have hired a trainer to come into our home and help us train Lexi. Lexi is SUCH a sweet dog, but she has plenty of naughty behaviors that make life difficult at times. We've allowed her to rule the roost over the past two years. And that was a poor decision on our part, because now that Baby J's coming, we want the control back. So we decided to enlist the Wizard to help us get things in order around here. Regardless of Baby J's arrival, we needed some help. Lexi is notorious for stealing food off the counter, getting in the trash, going absolutely bonkers when the doorbell rings, etc. Last time we had company, she got into Shannon's bag and ate all her multivitamins! So there, I've justified it. It's going to be far from easy. We have to correct Lexi for doing a lot of things that we have allowed - for example getting on the furniture. So we feel like total hypocrites, and I know Travis and I will struggle a bit as we get to used to the new philosophy. Once Lexi catches on and we get more comfortable with the new rules, we'll all benefit and have a happier, calmer household that is more than ready for Baby J. I need to remind myself that yes, I love to cuddle with Lexi on the couch. But I want to be able to do it on my terms, so that she doesn't decide to cuddle while I'm...say...feeding the Baby!! I kept saying last night, we should've started this training before I was pregnant so I could have a glass of red wine therapy before each session!! :) I think I'm more difficult to train than Lexi is!

Travis' car is STILL in the shop. It might be Monday before we get it back, and he is driving the world's longest car - a Grand Marquis. To top that off, he took his bike to the shop to get new handlebars. Turns out the frame was cracked beyond repair, and it's unsafe to ride. So we're now 2 for 2!

Baby J and I have a routine doctor's appointment here in about a half hour. It has been rescheduled 3 times already this morning because my doctor is stuck in a delivery. So I'm not convinced yet it will even happen today, but hopefully I'll be going to find out more about Baby J's progress soon!

The magic numbers...20-17

Those numbers are the scores from my two teams - two WINNING teams - this weekend! I have been proven wrong. I used to have a theory that only one of my teams could be win at a time. This weekend both Tech and the Panthers won, and each with a winning score of 20-17! I watched the Tech game solo yesterday while Travis was working at the stadium. Today I opted not to go to the Panthers game because of the heat. The temperature is in the low 90's, and they said that with humidity it felt more like 108-115 degrees!!! No way. Baby J and I braved the heat for the Tech game a few weeks ago, and that's it for us. So she and I watched the game here in the air conditioning. My Jake Delhomme jersey probably wouldn't fit my big toe right now - it's a kid's medium or something ridiculous like that. But I did wear Travis' Brad Hoover jersey. It is a Men's XXL, so I was able to squeeze into it. :)

This weekend we got to have lunch with Travis' younger brother Bryan who was in town for the first time in a few months, so that was great. Got to see our Braxton and Brittan (Bryan's kids) too for a short while. I guess a short visit is better than no visit at all!

I played the pregnant lady card last night after dinner and told Travis we were going to Baskin Robbins, and it was not negotiable. He obliged. I tried a new flavor called apple pie a la mode that has PIE CRUST in it. I mean, come on, does it get any better than that??? We might be going back tonight...

The Glass is Half Full Again

I'm pleased to say that I think the Justice family wins the car battle!!! While I am still rollin' in the rental Cobalt...I am happy to report that Carmax has agreed to pay for the repairs. Woohoo! That was seriously stressing me out. Also, the landscapers came at the crack of dawn yesterday. So while they didn't mow when they said they would, they still made it before the aeration guys showed up. And as soon as the yard was aerated and new seed was put down, it poured down rain! I don't know much about yard upkeep, but I do know that rain immediately following a reseeding is a wonderful thing. So...things took a turn for the better around here. :)

This morning I started a women's study group at church. My class is called "Diapers, Pacifiers and Other Holy Things." I'm the only one in the class whose baby is not yet in the outside world. The other women laughed at my rookie status and said they'd have to be sure to only share positive things about motherhood in my presence. Notice I called them women. I am thirty years old - and for some reason I think of myself as having "girl" status still. If someone has a child, or has been married a while, then I refer to her as a "lady" or maybe even a "woman." So strange how labels work. I wonder if I'll consider myself a lady once our acrobat (aka Baby J) arrives...

Because posts are boring without pictures, here is a picture of the perfect compromise. The animals had been battling it out for the coveted sunny spot in the breakfast nook earlier this week. In the end, everyone was a winner.

One of those days...

It's just been one of those days. Travis is in South Carolina for the night at a client. I didn't think my day would be too eventful - just taking T's car for an oil change and inspection. To make a long story short, I'm now cruising in a rental Chevy Cobalt while we try to get CarMax to pay for the extensive work that needs to be done. Just frustrating. Then another debacle with the yard - Travis couldn't mow before he left town because it had rained. So at the last minute, we asked the landscapers to mow this one time because it needs to be mowed before we have it aerated tomorrow morning. You guessed it - landscapers never showed up. On top of that - I've just felt kinda crummy today. Not necessarily sick, but feeling really lethargic and blah.

Well that completes my complaining session for the day. I do have a positive vibe to share though. The cool thing about being pregnant is you can be having "one of those days." And right in the middle of all the frustration, the baby will kick or move. Feeling that wipes away every petty little care in the world. Yesterday Baby J had two milestones - she kicked her Daddy for the first time. It was very special for him to finally feel his daughter move. I've been trying to get him to feel her move for weeks and our timing was off, or she wouldn't cooperate. Finally!! And she learned how to kick hard enough so that I can actually see the belly move!! Cool, in a freaky sort of way.

Happy Birthday to Lexi...

Jessica and Ian's wedding in Flat Rock was beautiful on Friday! Got to see all my girls again, which was wonderful of course. We are so spoiled this year by how often we've gotten to be together. Very cool that Laura and Kevin were up from Florida - hadn't seen them in AGES which is just wrong because I really love hanging out with them. I got to hold their precious little four-month old daughter, Hayden, which is special on a whole new level since I'm expecting a baby girl of my own! Jessica was gorgeous - and their ceremony was cool and had great personal touches. Picture-perfect setting in front of a lake - will post a few pictures below so you can see the effect. Congrats to the McNeils!!!

Today is Lexi's second birthday!!! What joy this "miniature lab" has brought into our lives. Really. She is crazy at times, and definitely tests our patience. We often rearrange our schedules and sometimes even bend over backwards to make sure she is well taken care of. And it's all worth it. She is such a sweet puppy and we just adore her. This dog gets showered in kisses all the time - she probably thinks we're crazy. I think pets are the greatest. It's a different sort of unconditional love than you get from humans. And you get to give a different sort of love too. God knew what he was doing when he made puppies and kittens. They have each made my life so much more full. Happy Birthday Lexi!!!

The Birthday Girl...

Looking back...Lexi on her first day home with us at 13 weeks old.

Her Big Sister...

Her Little Sister...

Daddy stayed in Asheville this weekend to have a boys' golf weekend with Cameron, Bob and Rodney. This time they actually played golf!!! They played 27 holes yesterday and 18 today - and Travis didn't break a single window (he did the last time he played...). I'm happy for him to have that time with his best friends. I know our lives are going to turn upside down soon. These guys are such great friends and I know it's important to him to get some male bonding in.

Quick update on the Baby's room - the crib, nightstand and chair are great. Unfortunately we had to refuse delivery on the dresser because it was damaged. No big deal, a new (hopefully perfect!) one is on the way. Once the nursery is DONE, I will post pics. Until then, you'll just have to stay on the edge of your seats...hahaha.

Ramble ramble ramble

This mommy-to-be is soooooo excited for the 3-5pm window of time today...our baby furniture is being delivered!! I cannot wait to see it in the room and to make up the crib with the new bedding. I can honestly say I've never looked forward to making a bed this much. :)

I never posted an update on my dear friend Gina who finally had her baby! I had mentioned that we were anxiously awaiting Baby Geist - well she arrived a few weeks ago! Gina and David had a beautiful, healthy baby girl and named her Ava Gianna. Ava came ON her due date which was pretty cool - considering they thought she was coming weeks before that. It's so neat that Gina has a little girl who will only be about 4 months older than our little girl. I can't wait to introduce the girls someday!!

In other news, Baby J turned 23 weeks old yesterday. She supposedly weighs a whopping one pound now!

Tomorrow we head to Asheville for the night for Jessica and Ian's wedding. It sounds like the hurricanes are going to cooperate and hopefully they'll have nice weather for their outdoor ceremony. Can't wait to see everyone and see another one in our group tie the knot!!

Last random tidbit...my friend Nicole posted on her blog a little story about her new panini maker. I read it and got inspired - I had forgotten about the hot sandwich maker we got as a wedding gift! So I fired it up for lunch yesterday and had a melted pb&j. HEAVENLY. I will probably eat one everyday for the remainder of this pregnancy. Thanks for the inspiration, Nicole! If you're looking for ideas, I highly recommend a hot peanut butter sandwich...

Hot Mama

I can sum up our VT football experience in one word...HOT.

Actually, I'm not sure hot is a strong enough word. This weekend was sweltering! The temperature was only in the low 90's, but the humidity was brutal. We enjoyed the numerous tailgates we stopped by, got to see friends and family we don't normally see. It was great having Shannon and Scott in town all weekend. Kim and Chad were the perfect people to watch the game with - the men talked football, the women talked babies. Travis and I got to have our first football game together which was great. I got the Bojangle's fried chicken I was dreaming of. So all of that was wonderful and the 'glass half full' part of our experience. But I have never been so hot. It was a lot for this big pregnant lady - and heck, it was a lot on the non-prego's too! But we supported our team. Too bad they didn't come through for us this time. It was a very disappointing loss to ECU!! Not that the Hokies played particularly well throughout the game, but to lose at the end like we did was pretty sad. We were all just kinda stunned. Oh well...you win some, you lose some. As I told Travis, I have a philosophy that only one of my teams can be good at a time. So maybe this means the Panthers will be really good this year!

Here are some pictures from the weekend. I see now that an orange tank top isn't the most flattering of my maternity gear - but I guess it does a pretty good job of showing how quickly Baby J and I are growing!

Other excitement this weekend - we finished painting Baby J's room! Pictures to be posted after the room is complete. The furniture should be delivered in a couple of weeks and the bedding is in - so we are pumped.

And last, some sad news. This weekend we laid to rest an old friend - Big Red. Big Red is a 1990 model gas grill. She started her career in grilling with my Dad, and he generously passed her on to me in 2004 when I moved into my first house. Dad has missed Big Red since the day she moved to North Carolina. Travis and I have had some great times and good food with Big Red. She has served us well. But over the last year or so, her health has really deteriorated. She was literally falling apart and we decided the time had come to send her to Grill Heaven. Rest in Peace, Big Red! We'll miss you! Our new grill has big shoes to fill...