around the weekend
Hey hey! How are ya? Hope you had a wonderful weekend! It’s funny because by the time I sit down to write this post each week, Friday feels so long ago, but the weekend went by way too quickly. It was another fun and relaxing one, and we enjoyed celebrating the Pilot for Father’s Day.
Livi is doing a fun camp this week, and I’m looking forward to teaching my usual classes, and starting to plan a fun party here at the house. If you have any awesome ice breaker ideas -many of us are new to town- I’d love to hear them!
Happy belated Father’s Day to all of the dads out there, the dads who will be, and the mamas who do the work of two. The Pilot is such an amazing dad to Liv, P, and the puppers, and I am so thankful for him every day. I think he was just destined to be surrounded by a family of females who absolutely adore him.
Some pics and adventures from the weekend:
Friday afternoon, we stopped at Toys R’ Us, where our 20-month old let us know repeatedly that she wants a truck.
(We abstained for now, even though it would be super cute to see Liv driving her around in it.)
I also have to tell you guys that she is obsessed with this song. We don’t even really listen to country -we used to way back in the day but it fell off the radar- but they played it at the bowling alley, and she was dancing like crazy. I’ll play it it for her sometimes on Spotify, and I thought it was pretty hilarious think of her bumpin’ Luke Bryan in her Silverado truck.
Friday night, we had a date night!
I dressed exactly like my Bitmoji.
haha.
Our sitter came over after the girls were crashed, and we headed downtown to grab drinks and dinner at Bistro. We haven’t had Bistro since the last time we were here, and could vaguely remember what we’d usually order and if we enjoyed the food. (The Googles verified that the last time we were there, the food was not good.) We really only remembered the interesting artwork on the walls. Dinner was pretty good!
(plus my date was kinda charming and handsome) 🙂
We shared a shrimp cocktail and salad, and for my entree, I rolled with the blackened grouper. It came with mashed potatoes (that did not taste like they were from a box) and sautéed veggies.
We also shared this enormous blob of melted ice cream, housemade caramel, chocolate sauce, and a thick, gooey brownie. I know, right?
Saturday morning, I took off to a friends’ baby shower, and the Pilot took the girls to Wild Adventures. Wild Adventures is a random theme park we have here in Valdosta, and it has grown so much since the last time we were here. They have a small zoo, tons of rides for the kiddos, a water park, splash pad, and safari train. I’m sad I missed it because apparently the girls lost their little minds. They LOVED it.
Saturday afternoon we hung out, and during naptime, I caught a Physique 57 online workout. It was a 60-minute one, and my legs were crying for mercy.
We made dinner here at home, and Sunday morning, we got ready to celebrate Father’s Day. I did the same thing the Pilot did for me on Mother’s Day weekend: while he was still sleeping, I got up with the girls and took them on a mommy-daughters date so he could sleep in and enjoy a slow, quiet morning.
The girls and I had an awesome breakfast at the Egg & I,
and then we headed to the park. The weather wasn’t hot at all yet, so we could play for over an hour. We grabbed a snack and then went to meander around Target for some supplies + the usual Target impulse purchases until the Pilot called and said he was awake.
We shared cards, enjoyed lunch together, and headed to Home Depot the pick up a new grill. We’re so excited to grill on our new patio!! I’ll be wrapping up veggies and marinating chicken for dinner tonight.
The rest of the weekend was pretty chill. I started reading The Nightingale and can’t.put.it.down. I’m only 1/3 of the way through and it’s already one of the most intense, beautifully-written books I’ve ever read.
Hope you enjoyed the weekend, too! What was your favorite thing you did/ate/read over the weekend?
xoxo
Gina
Looking for a workout? Try this one!
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LOVE that book. I just finished A Man Called Ove and loved it! Have you seen Gran Torino? Ove reminded me of Clint Eastwood’s character in that awesome movie.
Looks like a great weekend!
i’ve heard so many great things about a man called ove. i think it will be the next one i read 🙂
xo
Adding that one to my summer reading list! I just started reading The Handmaid’s Tale over the weekend and it is really interesting so far. I second A Man Called Ove – loved that one too!
Favorite thing I ate: mini chicken tacos with plenty of guac and salsa 🙂
Glad you guys had a nice Father’s Day weekend! Love the idea of taking the kids off so one of you can sleep. I’ll be taking note for someday haha.
the handmaid’s tale was SO INTENSE. i’ve started watching the show, but find it even more disturbing than the book!
i really need to read a man called ove. i think it will be next 🙂
hope you had a great weekend!
I loved that book, so good! Another amazing book/story (this time true) is Unbroken. Must read.
Sounds like a fun weekend:)
i’ve been wanting to read that one, too! have you seen the movie?
I loved The Nightingale! I just started reading Hillbilly Elegy for book club. We also have The Invisible Bridge and Lauren Graham’s book (Talking as Fast as I Can is the title I think) on our list!
Great book!! Also all the light I cannot see is an excellent book!! Ove is outstanding!
Enjoy !
i tried listening to that one audible and couldn’t really get into it. i’ll check out the actual book 🙂
I just finished reading Saints for All Occasions by J Courtney Sullivan. It was a good read, but I would recommend her other books before recommending this one, especially Commencement. So sharp, witty, and keeps you reading. She writes contemporary American fiction, which is very different than The Nightingale and All The Light We Cannot See (which is excellent).
i will check out her work- thank you!
I love The Nightingale, I read it with my book club last year. SO good! Hope you have a great day.
oh my gosh, i can’t finish it fast enough. i just hope the ending is happier/satisfying
I love your sandals so much, Gina! I have to say you have a pretty good taste for clothes 🙂
thanks, girl <3
I did a staring contest for my son’s first birthday – it was a group of friends that sort of knew each other so it worked great as an ice breaker.
haha i love that idea!
OMG she looks adorable in that truck!
it was hilarious. she didn’t want to get out
I read that earlier this year and it was so well written. Pulls on every part of your heart!
That was one of the best books I read last year! Really good! Have you read Lilac Girls yet? Also a great one!
https://www.amazon.com/Lilac-Girls-Martha-Hall-Kelly-ebook/dp/B011G3HI9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497895154&sr=8-1&keywords=lilac+Girls
no! i’ll look at it now 🙂
Sounds like a lovely weekend.
I’m with you on The Nightingale. Just wait until you read more…
i can’t finish it fast enough!!
The Nightengale is SO GOOD, but I cried through the last quarter of the book! Have tissues ready!
Random question for you. I noticed that SSU is starting in July and I am super excited. Will there be full videos again? I love when you have the full videos even though I know it is so much more work for you. 🙂
i already feel like i’m going to cry my face off reading it
no full videos for SSU :/ (i did get an awesome calendar made and we took photos for 3 of the workouts)
i haven’t been able to find a reasonable videographer around here yet. winter shape up should have full videos because i’ll film them with grant next time we’re in town!
Penelope is getting so big!! 20 months? ah!
but also- LOVE that she loves that song. Country is mah jammm and I love “My Kind Of Night” and basically all Luke Bryan haha.
and i’ve heard about the Nightengale. Looking forward to what you think about it!
Scavenger hunts are the best ice breakers! Nothing like taking someone’s shoes from them or leaping over them to tackle someone for the bobby pin.
OHHHH that’s a good one!
I actually just finished that book about 3 days ago, it gave me all the feels and did not disappoint!
please tell me the end is satisfying and not heartbreaking
I so adore your outfit and the bitmoji!!!haha so awesome! I gotta do that sometime!!
p.s. I’m moving out of NY and to CT (starting Yale fellowship) so here’s to new chapters of our lives. I can’t believe I have been following you since 2010 now i’m finishing residency and just kinda cool how I’ve followed you since then.
hahah i realized it afterwards. i picked that bitmoji outfit because i always wear shirt dresses 😉
that is amazing! so excited for you <3 and thank you for reading for so long!
xoxo
I read that book almost 2-yeas ago, and it’s one of my top reads and recommendations. I read it in about a day, and awkwardly sobbed in public multiple times. Such a beautiful book!
PS – your girls are such gorgeous children! I can’t get over how big they are getting.
oh my gosh, i can’t wait to finish it. i’m completely sucked in.
thank you so much! they’re getting so big, and they’re more fun every day 🙂
An icebreaker I’ve used for work (it takes a little prep) is human bingo. Using a bingo template, fill in the squares with topics instead of numbers. Like, “Is a twin”, “Has travelled to all 50 states”, etc. Then people go around and talk to others to fill their spaces. It’s always been a big success for me.
I found some already completed ones here>>http://myfreebingocards.com/human-bingo/human-bingo
Enjoy!
ohhhhh LOVE that!!