Hi, friends! Happy Monday! I hope you had a nice weekend! Mine was quite lovely.
On Friday night, I hung out with my favorite guys. There was a lot of DVR, cuddling, and general laziness. (Pugs make the best pillows; they smell like Fritos.)
Murphy is a big fan of cuddling my stomach. I guess he likes to keep the baby warm or maybe he’s trying to hatch him or something? Or maybe he’s just a pug and totally obsessed with being ON ME at ALL TIMES?
On Saturday afternoon, Mal and I headed into Boston for date night, which included dinner and a show. We ended up getting into the city a lot faster than expected, so we stopped by Stoddard’s for a drink. Well, Mal ordered a drink, and I kept him company.
We saw Onceย at the Boston Opera House, and it was so good! I love the music so much, and it was awesome to hear it live.
After Once, we headed to Back Deck for dinner. It was practically right next door to the Boston Opera House and it looked like a nice place, so we popped in.
The food ended being a lot better than expected! It was like fancy barbecue. I ordered the Butternut Squash-Green Apple Soup and the Spicy Sausage with mashed potatoes and sautรยฉed greens. Both were excellent! Mal ordered the pulled pork and also really loved his meal.
On Sunday, Mal made us โRise & Shiners,โย which were a throwback to his days at UVM and the Kountry Kart Deli in Burlington, Vermont. We had everything to make them except the bulky roll, but they were still incredible.
After breakfast, we headed to Open Gym for a quick workout. I made up a 3-round WOD to do, which took me a little less than 15 minutes to complete and included a lot of rests and a couple of water breaks. (I just wasn’t feeling it yesterday.) For the Cleans, I used 95 pounds, Wallballs 14 pounds, and Overhead Walking Lunges a 15-pound plate.
After this workout, I did an EMOM 10 of 10 Wallballs and 3 pull-ups with Mal and one of our CrossFit buddies. (The guys did Muscle-ups instead of pull-ups.) Our box just got a 30-pound medicine ball, so I guys wanted to test it out. They took turns doing 5 reps with the 30-pounder and 5 reps with a 20-pound medball. This seemed like a fun challenge to me, so I alternated 5 reps with the 20-pound medball and 5 reps with a 14-pound medball. It’s crazy how โlightโย the 20-pound medball made the 14-pound one feel!
FYI: I tried three times to hoist the 30-pound medball up to the 9-foot target and never quite made itโโall while the guys laughed at my goofy efforts to do so! Haha!
After CrossFit, I snapped this belly pic! Halfway there! I can’t believe I’m already 20 weeks!
It was a beautiful day and the temps hit the mid-to-upper 40s (you know you’re from New England whenโยฆ), so Mal and I took Murphy to the dog park.
It was such a nice day and the park was bumpin’ with people and puppies! Murphy was psyched to see so many dogs and do his pug mayor thing.
Question of the Day
When I was laying in bed last night, watching pug videos on YouTube (yes, really), I said to Mal: โThere is nothing that I love more than pug puppies.โย Of course, he immediately replied: โWhat about meeee?!โย Haha! Of course, I love Mal and Murphy and my family and my friends more than pug puppies, but, other than that, there are very few things that make me as happy as they doโโnot even CrossFit or cake!
So now it’s your turnโยฆ
Besides your family and friends, what are some things that you love more than anything and every time you see/encounter them, they make you so, so happy, even then you’re in the worst mood ever?
P.S. Nikki‘s Coconut Butter is offering 15% off their entire store from now throughย Friday. Just use code ‘newyear‘ at checkout to receive your discount! Vanilla Cake Batter Coconut Butter… do it!!
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My future pug Clarence (C-Dog). That may sound strange, but I’ve become obsessed with pugs over the last several months–Carrots ‘n’ Cake is definitely somewhat responsible! I have my boyfriend convinced that we need one (he named it), and I think there MIGHT just be a surprise pug puppy in my future…fingers crossed. Anyway, talking about our future pup and looking at all of the ones I follow on Instagram is one of my favorite activities to cheer me up. I was excited to see I’m not alone!
Pugs are the best! ๐
What a great weekend! Glad you were able to relax a bit ๐
I hit 21 weeks this weekend! That was my highlight. Oh and cheesecake…
I could go for some cheesecake right now!
I love fancy BBQ! There’s a place in San Diego that has a BBQ Bloody (ribs on top of a Bloody Mary). It’s so good!
I love all things pug also! We have a pug and anytime I read your hilarious pug stories I bust a gut laughing beacuse mine is exactly the same!
Confession: I watch pug videos on youtube also!
That food at Back Deck looks delicious!!
Probably the little thing that makes me happiest is seeing a dog going for a car ride – head leaning out the window with tongue hanging out. It just always looks like the dog is having the best time – warms my heart ๐
Honestly, it’s BABIES that always make me happy no matter what!
There are lots of things that make me instantly happy, but at the top of the list I’d probably put my dog. It’s hard not to smile when she is just so super pumped to be alive.
Close 2nd is Sushi. I inadvertently do the “happy sushi dance” when I have my first bite, regardless of how long it’s been since I had it last!
Oh, also, I love Stoddards, and good to know about Back Deck. It’s always somewhat empty when I walk by there, so I was never sure about the food. I’ll have to check it out!
That bbq looks so good! I live in Texas and I have to say thats definitely “fancy bbq” so you nailed the term ๐ Thats so sweet to see Murph snuggling his little brother!
My puppy, Chanel is definitely the one thing I love more than anything! I actually said to Jesse “I never knew I could love something so incredibly much in just a few seconds until we bought Chanel” – and I imagine that’s how a new Mum feels. Dog people get it, she is my baby – but others just think I’m a crazy dog lady ๐
Jesse was never a dog person but Chanel totally has him wrapped around her little paw!
No matter what mood I’m in funny emoji text messages from friends make me so happy/laugh so hard, there is nothing you can’t make with emojis
My golden, Chloe and Disney. Oh of course is better say my boyfriend too.
Murphy is going to be such a great big brother to your baby.
We have tickets to see Once when it finally wends it way all the way to San Diego (I think it’s in August or something crazy like that), so I’m glad to hear that you guys liked it.
My morning walks make me instantly happy. Some days I drag my feet as I pull on workout clothes but once I put one foot in front of the other, everything in the world melts away except the fresh air, sunshine, and me. Love it!
I’m with you on the pug puppies! We didn’t get Stewie when he was a puppy (he was adopted from a shelter), so I’m ALWAYS whining about how I want a pug puppy. They are just the cutest.
What a fun weekend you had! That BBQ place looks delicious, and it sounds like you got in a great WOD.
One thing that always makes me happy is home videos. Just watching the joy of my family and friends helps me live vicariously through the video. ๐
Haha, KKD! I didn’t know Mal went to UVM… I knew there was a reason or two for liking your blog ๐
Ha, I read medballs as meatballs. Guess I’m craving italian!
Once is such an amazing show!! I/m glad you enjoyed it!
Ice cream. Always ice cream.
sunrises, sunsets, and a full moon. and frosting.
I am so so loving this pregnancy! after reading for many years, I feel like I know you two and this is all so exciting. (hopefully this is not super creepy…)
Going on a beautiful hike always, always puts me in a great mood! Getting back to nature! Man on man does that BBQ look good!
anything with dogs or puppies always makes me smile and talk in my ‘dog voice’ which sometimes embarrasses my friends, lol. coffee also makes me feel great-even just the smell.
Besides the obvious (family, friends, dog, cat, etc…) I love cheese pizza. I really do. A good slice of pizza can make the day better. And a really good cup of coffee. The kind that just puts you in mood right after the first sip.
When I was pregnant my dog did the same thing, he was always sniffing my belly, and would always lay near it or tried to lay on it. I think it’s a smell, dogs just know when something is different. Just wait till the little man gets here… I love how my much my dog loves my son, and vise verca…
I can’t believe you’ve gained 20 pounds so far, where are you hiding it! You look fantastic
It’s all in my boobs! Haha!
I can’t stop looking at that breakfast sandwich! I am going to try to recreate that for dinner. YUMMY! As for things that make me instantly happy, it is cats! Mostly my cats, but any cats put a smile on my face. I love the little creatures, even if they are temperamental.
First, I have to say that the pug-let on your belly is too cute ๐
Things that always put me in a good mood are baby giggles, any videos of baby animals playing, cupcakes, sunshine, and wine (not in any particular order)
One thing that puts me in a good mood… nice weather! I love days where you can open the windows and let the fresh air in.
Pugs smell like Fritos? I had no idea! ๐
Puppies, babies and ice cream/froyo. Hands down.
Being out in nature….nothing better than that at all!
My friend and I used to laugh so hard about the fact that our dogs feet smelled like Fritos! Too funny.
My dog can make me happy no matter what. He is such a goof with tons of energy
That is officially the cutest photo of Murhpy ever, he is going to be such a great big brother!
I love the rise and shiner! I’m a UVMer too (still live in Burlington) and spent ALOT of nights (and mornings) at KKDs ๐ Its the best!
dogs snuggling with babies…or more specifically goldendoodles snuggling babies. OH MY GOSH!! I can’t wait to have a baby so that it can snuggle with my doodle Pippa. I might die (in a good way). Pugs are pretty fantastic too, such cute attitude in a little body.
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