Babymooning in Brown County Indiana

"Babymoon" is defined as a relaxing or romantic vacation taken by parents-to-be before their baby is born.  For ours, we headed to Brown County, Indiana for some hiking, eating, and relaxing.  Our first stop was Morgan Monroe State Forest for a 3-mile hike.  Don't judge the small distance; I happen to be carrying 20 pounds of extra weight.

Maya taking on the rugged terrain.

JDub with her baby bump, making it look easy.....let alone the sweat, swollen ankles, and painful back and hips.

What's 12 more pounds?

After check-in at a wonderful bed and breakfast called the Red Rabbit Inn, we headed to meet some friends in Nashville, IN for pizza and beer (or Shirley Temples for those of us who can't drink) at Big Wood Brewery and Pizza Co.

Fall leaves in Nashville, IN.  Just FYI, they aren't real.

On day two, we headed to Brown County State Park for yet another 3-mile hike and only to realize that every site we were headed for, you could actually just drive to.  Slackers!

And the selfies begin.....

Hesitation Point. Kudos to that name.

That evening we headed into Bloomington for nourishment at Upland Brewing Co.  On our final day, we awoke and headed back to Indy where we proceeded to do more baby shopping.  Baby this, baby that.

Although a babymoon is supposed to be composed of something that couples won't be able to do after having a baby, I'm pretty sure we will be able to share our love for hiking (and eating) with Baby Dub after he arrives.....it might just be poopier.

Reviving a Broken Heart

     Cinco de Mayo is supposed to be a day of bright colors, margaritas (for those of us not pregnant), tacos, and hey, why not throw in that mariachi band.  Mine started with a microbiology final and ended with a hospital visit; forget the bright colors and La Cucaracha.

     For my parents, their Cinco de Mayo started just like any other day; they both went to work.  Close to 5pm, my dad mowed the front lawn, and my mom put the groceries away for their Cinco de Mayo dinner.  That moment, when everything seems to fall apart but actually aligns, then occurred.  A neighbor, who was not even supposed to come home that day, drove by and witnessed my father collapse over the lawn mower and then fall backwards.  She immediately pulled over, ran to our back door, and yelled for my mom.  While the neighbor called 911, my mother threw herself on the ground next to my father, who at the time had no pulse and was unresponsive, and she proceeded to perform CPR.  Within minutes, two ambulances arrived and revived my father by shocking him with a defibrillator and placing an IV for drugs.

     Today, my father is back home.  He had open heart surgery where 5 coronary arteries, including the LAD (the "widow maker"), were bypassed.  Yes, he had quintuple bypass surgery.  At 67 years old with a healthy history, my father was hit by the leading cause of death in this country....but....he survived.

     I write you this story not only because it has shaken my life, but I hope that its power will also shake yours.  Eat better!  Notice changes in your body!  Start marking off items on that bucket list!  CPR saves lives; get certified!  And most of all, say "I love you" to those special people in your lives ALL THE TIME!

Thank you, mom, for being kickass, just in general.

Thank you, dad, for being a fighter.

Thank you, friends and family, for being there and supporting us through everything from sitting in waiting rooms to finishing up the half-mowed lawn.

Thank you, God, for aligning those stars that day; I wasn't ready to say goodbye to my father just yet.

So happy to still have both of my parents: my mom, the superstar CPR-ist, and my daddy, the heart attack survivor and fighter.

May we have many, MANY more years together!

Our New Adventure

PDub, Maya, and I have decided to take on a new adventure.  We welcome Baby Dub into our little family this October.

Bring on the late nights, gassy smiles, poopy diapers, and especially cuddle time...

Pittsburgh and a Cardinal's Game

     In honor of opening day of baseball, I decided to write about our Pittsburg trip from one year ago.  When given the opportunity, we have traveled to nearby stadiums to watch our team, the STL Cardinals play.  Last April, we found the time to drive up to Pittsburgh, land of the Pirates (although I'm still not sure how pirates came to be so far inland), to watch our birds win a game.  Note: Pittsburgh in April is awfully cold; hand warmers were a necessity!

     Of course, we were able to tour the city a bit before heading back to D.C.  Here are some fun facts about the Pittsburgh:

• Named after William Pitt (not after your body part).
• Known as "the Steel City" for its over 300 steel-related businesses (hence, the sports team, the Steelers).
• Third in corporate headquarters for most of the 20th century (that's after NYC and Chicago).
• Named America's "most livable city" by Forbes and the Economist.
• Holds the world's first movie theater.

Primanti Bros. on the left was our first stop for some grub.

There's nothing like a sandwich loaded with french fries and cole slaw for condiments.  Not to mention the Iron City Beer brewed right there in Pittsburgh.

The PPG building looking all shiny and stuff.

Selfie.....with our extra large camera.  It makes it more challenging.

A bridge full of fireworks with one fire extinguisher.  Sounds promising if you ask me.  Yes, my friends, this loud-noise-fearing girl stayed for the fireworks show after the game.  (I had my ears plugged the entire time).

Crossing the bridge to the stadium.

Why, yes, it's another selfie.

Our view for the night.  Go Cards!!

Spotlighting the city.

Um, yeah, another selfie.

From Mt. Washington overlooking Pittsburgh.

Boston Freedom Trail

Throughout the city of Boston is a red brick line (sorry it's not yellow for those Oz fans) that happy tourists like ourselves can follow and see many, many historical sites.  This line is called the Freedom Trail.  In honor of our freedom, let's walk it together....or not....you choose....it's called freedom!

A stately gentleman in front of a state house.

The Massachusetts State House to be exact.

One of the oldest burial grounds, not in the world....but in the new world.

Is it strange visiting a cemetery without a relative buried there or without a seance kit?

Can I get your John Hancock on these?  Yes, folks, that's where John Hancock is buried.

PAUL REVERE (with the sound of a horse galloping in the background)!!!!

Old City Hall, home to the city council from 1865-1969.

Follow the yellow brick road....wait a second...

The location of the Boston Massacre.

The Old State House, where British soldiers (without orders) fired upon the crowd killing 5 people.  Later labeled as the Boston Massacre.

Boston Custom House Tower, the first real skyscraper on the Boston skyline.

cop-a-squat: to have a seat (according to Urban Dictionary)

Another preeettttty view.

Not too exciting, but we did pass Paul Revere's house on the trail.

Little Italy.  Pasta? Canoli? My favorite place.

That's Fred and Albert below dearest Paul Revere.  Yes, I named them.

Old North Church, where Paul Revere's midnight ride led to the signal from this church "One if by land, and two if by sea" which more properly means "The flippin' Redcoats are coming!!!!!"

Boston.

294, that's how many steps it took to get to the top of the Bunker Hill memorial.  You would think that a person who completed (no, dominated) the Inca Trail would take this as just a small challenge.  By the time I got back down, my calves were cramping so badly that I was screaming for bananas (fact: potassium prevents muscle cramping).

The best view of Boston.

The Haw-bah (translation: harbor)

We are glistening from the beauty of the view....not the stairs we had to take to get there.

Back down the swirling staircase.

Although the British won the Battle of Bunker Hill due to the defender's loss of ammunition, they refrained from going forward due to their own massive loss.

And the end of the trail overlooking the city.

Boston Wedding

     It appears that our running theme when traveling is to attend weddings.  No friends, we do not crash these weddings; we are legally (or properly) invited....AND we even RSPV.  On our Boston trip, we happened to be invited to the wedding of some dear friends who lived in Virginia when we did.  They are originally from Boston, sporting their Red Sox and Patriots gear, but we don't hold it against them.  Their wedding was beautiful, even if it did have to be moved indoors due to the rainy weather.  Congrats you two!!

We were a bit worried as to where this bus was taking us...Thankfully we ended up at the wedding.

The beautiful couple.

Looking dapper.

We clean up well.

A true lady's man.

And this dead sexy couple.

"Strutting" into their reception.

Mi amigos.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but was this first dance to the Backstreet Boys?  It's been too long to be sure.

Playing around with my camera when it literally lost its focus due to this hooligan.

So give me some chocolate.

Pdub lost his jacket, so he could bust a move better on the dance floor.

No worries.  Plates weren't shattered.

Part pyramid.

Ladies.

If I would've gotten their whole bodies, you'd see they were completing a serious kick line.

I entitle it: Holding 'em up.

This man didn't leave the dance floor.  We are talking Full-out. Hands down. Sweatiest man alive by the end.

Seeing them off!

High 5!

And one more...

And on to Camp Grossman.

A pinky-up kind of drink.

And they lived happily ever after....