Week 22-23ish Pictures

Why HELLO! As I said in my last post, Rock and I were traveling last week so I didn't get to put my Week 22 pictures up on time, but I do have some Week 22 to 23 pictures to make up for it!

Week 23 pictures (all pictures from Texas are Week 22)

So Rock and I went to Texas to get my driver's license and see his family before baby comes. It was so nice to see everyone and boy did Abby get some gifts! The first night we were there his mom left the living room and came back with a huge bag full of baby clothes and told us she couldn't wait any longer for us to open it. Inside was a treasure trove of outfits for Abby for all seasons! We were so surprised and Abby now officially has more outfits than Rock or me!

The next day we headed to Rock's grandmother's house where she made us a delicious meal and we also got to see Aunt Lisa, Grandma Gloria and little Mary Katherine. While we were there Lisa and Gloria gifted us with some more treats for Abby. Gloria got her an interactive stuffed dog that sings and lights up and helps teach baby the colors, words and other things. Lisa got me what looked like a beautiful purse but it is actually a well disguised diaper bag! It has a fold out changing pad, diaper wipe case, a little matching coin purse for Mommy's things and lots of pockets for bottles, etc. It is such a good idea because it is also compact, because goodness knows a mom probably doesn't want another bulky thing she has to carry around.

The brand of the diaper bag is "Cake" by Petunia and it comes in several different colors.

Rock's parents, Rock and me

Rock and me with his Grandma

After we got back from Rock's grandmother's house we met up with Rock's sister Frances and our niece Gabby and nephew Mark. We ended up going out to dinner, got dessert at the Marble Slab and then went to see Despicable Me. The movie was so cute and it was great to spend time with Frances, Gabby and Mark. As you can see, we are very serious people! ;) It is crazy how fast kids grow. I saw Mark and Gabby in May 2009 and at that time Mark was shorter than Gabby...I come back a year later and he is taller and they both look so mature!

On the very last day of our trip to Texas, Rock's cousin Amber drove up to visit us before our flight with her two (adorable!) children, Avery and Alexa. The same thing was true for the girls! They were just babies when I last saw them (or to me at least) and now they are both so grown up and mature, with great manners and a great sense of humor. Both of them can quote verbatim the "Bonquiqui" skit and let me tell you, having a 6 year old say "RUUUUDE" like Bonquiqui is 10x funnier than when Anjelah Johnson says it! Seeing family really makes me wish that everyone lived closer so we could see them more often, so that is why I am working on Campaign Get All Family Members to Texas by 2014. I will keep you updated on the progress of that program.

Avery and Rock

When Rock and I got home to MD, we spent one night there and then headed off to spend some time at a Mennonite family's farm B&B in Pennsylvania (near Lancaster). It may sound sort of random, but when I was 10 and moving from New York to Kansas, my family stopped at the same farm and spent a few days there and I LOVED it! I spent 99% of my time in their chicken coop collecting eggs and avoiding sneak attacks from the perturbed hens. Well, 15 years later it was just as fun! I spent significantly less time in the chicken coop this trip, but it was still so relaxing. Mennonites have electricity, but no TVs or video games, so Rock and I spent a few days being "unplugged" from the rest of the world and it was great. We both turned off our cell phones and did a lot of reading, walking around looking at the animals and talking. I really felt like I got to know Rock on a deeper level in the few short days we were away because when you don't have things to distract you it really helps to facilitate meaningful conversations. We both always wanted to live on a farm at one point in our life and this trip solidified it for us: we WILL own a farm at some point in our lives. And while it may be a Dog Farm, it'll still be a farm! ;) OH, and just a warning: not all electrical fences have warning signs on them. Ask Rock about this. And about his latent fear of being taken out to a secluded place and "Judy chopped." LOL!!!

And finally...

This is the next town over from where we were staying and NO, we weren't the only people who stopped and got a picture, there were a few couples ahead of us, all over the age of 40!  See...it is always funny! 

My friend, neighbor and fellow preggo, Jessie and I went to a Jack Johnson concert when I was finally back in town and it was great (minus the pothead frat guys in front of us).  I have wanted to see him perform for a long time, so it definitely was a treat to get to see him.  Abby seemed to like him, too!! :)  

It was very hot and humid but it was still a great time!

I forgot to put my tan on...obviously!  LOL!