Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Victoria, B.C.

We spent Thanksgiving in Canada.

We took the Clipper from Seattle to Victoria on Thursday morning. It was a 3-hour trip and probably the worst possible weather - there was actually a gale warning. Fortunately (and surprisingly), I didn't get sick and slept through most of it. 

We spent our three days in Victoria strolling the downtown area - mainly eating and shopping. We quickly became obsessed with Jam Cafe and ate brunch there three out of our four mornings. We've never done that before. We're usually ones to try a new place for each meal, but Jam Cafe definitely deserved a three-peat.
Architectural appreciation
PNW views
Apparently everyone loves Jam Cafe - there was a line down the block every morning 
The food and decor are equally amazing
Day 1
Bloody mary... I miss alcohol most when on vacation
Day 2
Day 3
The Empress
Bard & Banker - reminded me of my dad
Brasserie L'ecole
The most amazing dates I've every tasted
Moules frites for me, beef tips for Brady
Obligatory beaver tails when in Canada
The Drake Eatery
Pub food
Canoe Brewpub
Sharing dinner
Live band - New Souls was so good!
Beautiful walks every night
Brady dragging me into breweries 
Festive boats
The holiday parade :)
Santa!
We rented a car on Friday to see a little more of Vancouver Island. We took the scenic route to The Butchart Gardens, which was beautiful. The gardens were incredible - a definite must-see. 

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Bump Day

28 Weeks...
Weight gain: 
21 lbs.

Symptoms:
Feeling very congested the past few weeks - I'm constantly blowing my nose. I just started getting swollen feet at the end of the day. I've been keeping my legs elevated at night and they're back to normal the next morning. Also, can I consider irritability a pregnancy symptom? I'm always on edge.

Cravings/Aversions:
I'm all about oatmeal right now. I've been taking a little extra time each morning to satisfy this craving - I add cinnamon, honey, chia seeds, raisins and it's delicious. Brady bought Pop-Tarts last week and it's taking a lot of self-control to avoid that temptation. I'm a sucker for Cherry Pop-Tarts. 

Maternity Clothes:
I'm still wearing a ton of GAP maternity items. I only have three pairs of maternity pants and I was sick of doing so much laundry - I just ordered this pair from Destination Maternity a few days ago. 

Exercise:
I'm doing cardio 3-4 days a week - either a run outside or elliptical if the weather isn't cooperating. I'm only doing 2-2.5 miles, but it feels great. I've also started doing more strength training. On elliptical days I force myself to lift weights and do some squats/lunges. 

Sleep:
I fear my good sleep days have passed. I have no problem falling asleep, but I can't seem to stay asleep. I wake up throughout the night feeling restless and struggle to fall back asleep. I also get woken up at 3:30 am each night with some big kicks. 

Special Moments:
Passing the three-hour glucose test - that was a nightmare and I'm so glad it's over. Also, receiving lots of gifts from family and friends :) It makes everything feel more real and exciting!  



Monday, November 21, 2016

Weekend Update

We went to Bainbridge Island this weekend.

We took the ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge on Saturday morning and made a day of it. It was nice to get away - felt like the old days when we were exploring new places every weekend :)

Bainbridge Island is so picturesque (reminds me of Whidby Island and Poulsbo) - walking friendly and lots of cute restaurants and shops. We walked around the harbor before lunch at The Harbour Public House. We stopped by Pegasus Coffee House and browsed the downtown area. 
Bye Seattle
The ferries are so fast - 35 minutes from Seattle to Bainbridge
So cute!
Harbor walk
Smooth as glass
Hard to tell from this photo, but the mountains were out (Brady was excited to see them snow-covered)
Baby 
Public House felt like it belonged on the slopes 
My lunch date
The best exteriors 
Chai latte for me, IPA for Brady
Salt House Mercantile
Salt House Mercantile
Can't remember the name of this shop, but it had everything (and the display was perfection)
Crossing in the night
We're back...