Let's Go Huskies!

As most of you know, the University of Washington basketball team made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament. The game was hosted in Syracuse, NY, which allowed Adam and me a rare opportunity to see our team in action. With a little family help, (Thank you John and Pam Sothern) we got tickets right down in the UW section, just about 25 rows up! It was so fun to be surrounded by purple and gold apparel. There was actually a pretty decent UW cheering section, considering the distance. Although the Huskies lost the game, we had an amazing time. It was well worth our 5 hours of round-trip driving and the money. For a few hours, we got a little piece of home and an awesome excuse for a much-needed date night. Here are a few pics.
Adam outside Syracuse University, flashing his UW sign.
I thought my purple umbrella was sure to be a good luck omen for the Dawgs. My pre-pregnancy t-shirt is surely never going to be the same after being stretched over my belly!
Huskies warming up before the second period.
The guys down in the front- Nate Robinson, Spencer Hawes, and Jon Brockman came to cheer on their former team. That was sort of a cool thing, although, as soon as they showed up was when the Huskies started losing...

Miami Sunshine

Gavin and I just returned from our trip to Miami. It was great to escape the colder temperatures and absorb some vitamin D. Gavin was a little confused when I put swim trunks and a t-shirt on him. He kept pulling the sleeves down and asked about his hat and mittens! Once he got outside, he adapted very quickly to beach life.

It appears that Laura and Mike have quickly fallen in love with their new home. Miami is a fun city with lots to do and see. Gavin loved the birds, alligators, and other tropical inhabitants. Here are a few pictures from our trip.
Gavin hanging out at South Beach- loved to throw rocks and shells into the ocean, along with the random handful of sand at his mama. It was hard to explain that sand is not like snow- no sand-ball fights, please!
We took a trip to Gator Park in the Everglades, which included an airboat ride. The park turned out to be a bit of a hokey tourist trap, but Gavin really enjoyed it.
We visited Jungle Island, a tropical zoo. Gavin set himself up for this pose to say "cheese!"
This was definitely the highlight of Gavin's trip: posing with "monkey on the head!" He still talks about this several times during the day. This print cost me a small fortune, but I had to have it. Some memories are just a little more expensive than others, right?
He enjoyed walking on the beach with his aunt Laura. The ocean water is absolutely beautiful.

As you can tell, I'm advancing quickly to the "big mama" stage of pregnancy. Had to beat men off with a stick down at South Beach- what, with maternity swimwear being so damn sexy!

So now we're back in Albany and it feels great to be home. The weather has been in the 60s the past few days. It's time to clean up the yard and get ready for planting. We pulled out the barbecue and patio chairs yesterday. Hibernation is over.

A new season is upon us...

I woke up this morning feeling more energized than I have in weeks. The sun is out and while it's only 36 degrees outside, the forecast has us pushing 50 today. The snow has almost melted and it really does feel spring-like.

Last March I was struggling with what seemed like a never-ending winter. Fortunately, we have taken advantage of the outdoors this year and I have thoroughly enjoyed the colder months. Still, I am incredibly ready for warm weather, gardening, playing cards out on the porch, and most importantly, getting this child out of my belly! Pregnancy has not been such a joy this time around but the weeks are passing. Soon enough, I'll be sipping pinot gris out on the back patio, admiring my two kids and watching Adam grill up something delicious on the BBQ. Hey, affirmations are supposed to be effective, right? That seems like a scenario I can realize easily enough!

Gavin and I are lucky to get a jump-start on spring and are heading to Miami on Monday to visit my sister and her husband. I'm sure this has something to do with my new-found giddiness. Laura and Mike moved to Miami just a little over a month ago and after seeing their ocean photos, I quickly booked flights! My little sidekick is a well-traveled two year old and I'm sure he'll have as much fun running in the waves as I will!

We'll return on the 16th, with the official start of Spring less than a week away. I'll chat with you then- after all, there are garden plans to be made!