Dear Emily,
  I can not begin to tell you what a refreshing weekend this was!  Travis was home for three full days in a row  and it gave us so much time to reconnect.  I'll be the first to admit that having a baby changes the dynamic in your home more than I could have ever imagined.  I realized that my marriage was going to take more work than it used to and it was going to take us getting intentional about loving on each other and being there for one another. In the end, I know this will grow and deepen our relationship and give our marriage that much more substance.
  On Friday, we celebrated the day we met four years ago and we had so much fun reminiscing on that first meeting and the events of that day.  It was a fabulous way to reconnect and remember our marriage pre-baby.  We just enjoyed ourselves for the rest of the weekend.  We grilled out, watched shows on Netflix and a little football, took a walk on Coronado island with Jackson and the little lady, out to breakfast downtown, worshipped at church, and snuggled a little.  It was just what we needed after a lot of time apart and it was just what I needed to refresh my soul and get me back on top of things.
  Things are looking better this week.  I have curry that I am making for dinner.  I have freshly potted plants, a little ivy that I grew from some outside, and a mum to usher in the beginning of Fall. I saw a leaf fall from a tree.  I am lighting a cinnamon chai candle and my house is not nearly as dirty as it could be.  To top it all of, it's a four day work week! Hooray! Does it feel like Fall in New York yet? It certainly does not here in San Diego, but hopefully soon.

Love, Jen
 

Dear Emily,
   So I seriously wish we lived closer together so that I could be a recipient of some of that bread! It looks delicious! I might need to invest in a dutch oven just for that!  Making bread is on my to-do list since moving here. I really want to learn.  Maybe in a few months, I'll give it a go.  I have to admit, I eat a ton of bread too.  It would be tastier if it was home made... and just for the record, I seriously doubt you need to diet!

 How did Clara like the fourth? Did she experience any fireworks?  Travis was off for two days, so we took full advantage of it.  The first day we slept in, had breakfast out on the patio and then later in the day we took a drive up the coast on Hwy 101 to Carlsbad and back. There are several really cute towns and it's beautiful to drive alongside the ocean. We did get stuck in terrible traffic on the way back, but it was still nice getting to see something new and explore a little.  Yesterday, we spent the whole day snuggling, drinking tea, watching movies and reconnecting. It was pretty chilly here and a little misty, so it was the perfect day for it. We grilled steaks for dinner and didn't really leave home, except for the dog park.  We were also able to see most of one of the fireworks shows from our back porch.  These days, I would rather do that than fight traffic.

So Travis is back at work today and I'm pretty much on my own. It's always weird going back to being alone after you've been together for days straight.  I have to adjust back into it.  We're still waiting on baby.  I'm really hoping she comes soon. It's getting to be too much.  Here's to hoping she comes quickly!

Love, Jen

Dear Emily,
  I am seriously jealous of your sailing date! That sounds so fun and your pictures are beautiful! Dates are something that are so valued now, even before baby comes as our time together is so slim. I am really looking forward to a fun weekend. I have requested to see the sun set and to go see the seals, either a trip to Point Loma or to La Jolla Coves is in order. Usually when we live in a town, we find a coffee shop or restaurant that we love and it becomes a special place for us, but it's different here in San Diego. Our choices are so unlimited, that it's almost overwhelming! It's a good thing that I have 3 or 4 years to try everything!  So much diversity here! 


My to-do list is getting whittled away slowly, but surely.  I have quite a few meals put away and I even have a loaf of apple bread and a batch of cookie dough in the freezer all ready for when little Miss comes home and we need something sweet and fresh. It was my way of coping with a little labor anxiety.  

The only thing the nursery is lacking is a rocking chair and possibly two prints in frames. I have yet to decide what I want, but I have a few things that I am thinking of. So happy to be ready to bring her home whenever she decides to make an appearance. I did finish her rocking horse today and I am in love!

It's hard to see past the next couple of weeks to the rest of the Summer. Our entire Summer is full of loving and learning about our new baby, lots of family visiting, and hopefully some parks, walks, and zoo trips with the love!


I hope you and Clara have a wonderful weekend! I think we are going to start celebrating Fourth of July. Do you have big plans? Fireworks? 


Love, Jennifer

Dear Emily,
It's Monday... Mondays are not my friends and I am feeling especially off this morning. There are getting to be fewer and fewer things that I need to do to get ready for my little and I am feeling more and more ready for her to come... Now! We have nearly finished her nursery. I have a few wall hangings to make and some curtain tie-backs and to find that perfect rocker and then we'll be done... oh and a bookshelf. Only 16 more days till my due date.
     The weekend was especially good to us. On Saturday, we made a leisurely breakfast of blueberry pancakes and bacon. We drank in our time with one another, being extra grateful for it, since we no longer see each other much during the week. We got coffee at a great little place in Golden Hill, South of Balboa Park, called Krakatoa... then when Jackson decided to start being bad, we took him to Nate's Point dog park, where he ran until he was too exhausted to even walk to the car, literally. We made runs to Home Depot and Target and out for tacos in Pacific Beach. The more time I spend in Pacific Beach, the more that I have to say about it. I will tell you about that later. We worked on the nursery and patio late into the night and it could not have been more perfect. Sunday was church and then more of the same. I am so grateful for that man and I love the weekends, so here I am trying to figure out where to start this morning. We'll see, but I think that I'll spend some time waking up slow, me and my little love, still growing inside of me.

                                                     Love, Jen

PS. That picture is of my new hummingbird feeder in the backyard. I have had my eye on it for a couple of years now and Travis bought it for me this weekend. We have already had hummingbirds at it and I love them! I'll send more pictures of the porch and nursery as we get them finished up.