This was one of those weeks that was just great all-around.

I mean, so much STUFF happened. Which is why our house still is completely and totally unpacked. But I’ll get to that later.

_{I spent a few hours (well, maybe  minutes) this week practicing for my Olympic appearance in 2018. I wore a puffy jacket for maximum butt protection, just in case I fell on my more skilled tricks (stopping or turning).}

Let’s do this Friday post thing, shall we?!

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Four thoughts from this week

• We move in a few days. DAYS. Have we started packing? Heck no. Have I gone through my clothes to create a ‘donate’ pile? That’d be a negative, my friends. This weekend is going to be packing-productive whether I want to do it or not!

• The Husband and I joined some friends for trivia at Globe Pub on Tuesday evening. It was really fun, but really TOUGH. One of the rounds had to do with hairbanger 80’s bands and one had to do with Star Wars and it turns out I know absolutely nothing about those two topics. It may have helped if I had at least seen Star Wars before, but alas. Anyway, I realized that trivia without drinking is slightly more depressing, because I still didn’t know any answers and I was very, very aware about how little I know.

• We went ice skating in Millennium Park with friends/church group members on Wednesday and had a blast. After we worked our butts off (seriously, my butt was so sore) we walked over to Tavern at the Park to grab dinner/drinks. It was the perfect night! 

• This week we experienced thunder during a snow storm (#thundersnow was the hashtag chosen for this). We also had a nice little rain storm. It was a magical weather week in Chicago and I loved every second! At one point I wore a ‘normal’ winter coat and rain boots instead of snow boots! It’s the small things.

Four pregnancy notes

• During the first trimester and into the second trimester I craved fruit. Cuties/Halos/clementines, now I crave anything fried, soda, cookies… it’s becoming quite the downhill spiral.

• I’ve gained about 6lbs so far and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little freaked out every time the scale tells me I’m gaining weight. And then I remember it’s a good thing and calm right down. But still, my initial reaction is still “That’s it! I’m going to the gym!”

• The Husband and I can feel Baby B kicking from the outside of my abdomen. The first time we felt it was on Valentine’s Day and let me tell you, it was magical. I get excited every single time I feel movement in my uterus. I guess I didn’t realize it was going to be so obvious that the baby is kicking as opposed to movement in general. Awesome, awesome, awesome (not to mention reassuring).

• Baby B is the size of a beer bottle this week! Cheers to that!

Four links (that are too good not to share)

• On stay at home moms and working moms. (via Huffington Post)

• On baby/fetus size – no fruit! (via His Boys Can Swim) – this is my absolute favorite ‘guide’ to track Baby B’s size each week!

• On the gender and rape in the Civil War. (via The Atlantic)

• On gluten-free food (via NY Times)

Four posts you may have missed

• We’re halfway there, Baby! (Mon)

• Do your loved ones feel ‘blogging pressure’ to perform?! (Tues)

• Just when you thought you knew everything there is to know about me… (Wed)

• What I think about when I’m watching the Olympics. (Thurs)

Featured blog

Guys, I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this a bijillion times before (OK, I know I have), but I have the best sponsors ever. They seriously make my ‘job’ to promote them so, so simple. I mean, how can I NOT be super excited to share some of my favorite bloggers to my readers?! 

Brittany from ‘Happy is A Choice’ is a blogger who is quickly becoming one of my absolute favorite people on the internet. And the internet is a big freakin’ place. I (sadly!) didn’t come across her blog until she made the (excellent) decision to sponsor me, and I can’t believe i was missing out on so much blogging greatness! I knew instantly Brittany and I were meant to be BFFs (even though she doesn’t know this yet). I mean…

– She’s a Christian and not afraid to talk about her faith.

– She’s a newlywed. (Even more so than me… do I have to stop saying I’m a newlywed now that it’s been 18 months?!)

– She’s gorgeous on the inside AND the outside. (Don’t even get me started on how beautiful she looked at her wedding)

– She’s a planner, for better or for worse.

– She loves traveling.

– She runs (and enjoys it).

I seriously could go on and on. Basically we’re the same person except not. And this is probably not as much of a compliment to Brittany as it is to me, but I’m going with it.

What I love about Brittany’s blog is that she is so genuine. She talks about her faith way better than I ever could.and definitely has a gift with words. This post on marriage blew me away. And then there are the funny posts that she so seamlessly incorporates into her blog, like this post on the seven things she’s guilty of.

Basically, if you do not know Brittany and stalk her on every form of social media, you are missing out big time and i feel bad for you but I’m happy that I get to share her with you!

Anyway, it’s probably best if you go check her out for yourself!

And of course, feel free to stalk follow her (and her blog!) on Twitter, and Instagram.

** Do you want to be a featured blogger/shop owner? I have some $5 spots available immediately!

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And because I’m in an especially sappy mood… linking up with Whitney with this gem:

Cheers to (what should be) a great weekend! Wish us luck packing!