36 Weeks

Week 36 was definitely one to remember, because baby bug took his first trip to Bonnaroo! People told me I was crazy for going so far into my pregnancy, but I was feeling great, and knew I wasn't going to overdo it... so we figured why not! Plus, I wasn't about to let Keith see Paul McCartney and Tom Petty without me. Keith got free passes through work that included access to a large, mostly air conditioned hospitality tent (that had couches!) so I spent any down time I needed there and just enjoyed as much music as my tired feet would allow! Obviously, we didn't stay in Manchester to camp. We bunked with Steve in Murfreesboro which was only a 20 minute drive so at least we could shower and eat breakfast and lunch like civilized people haha. It was so helpful on Saturday to do that because it allowed us to stay out of the sun and heat and not be at Bonnaroo until later when we had bands to see. Overall it was a great weekend and I'm so glad we went! We're just hoping that our boy is this easy going when he actually arrives, because up til now he seems to roll with the punches extremely well ;-) Randomly, at the merchandise tent they happened to be selling onesies, so we picked him up a keepsake. Now when he wears it to preschool he can brag to all his baby friends about how he was there haha.

Aside from Bonnaroo (yet possibly related to?) this week my feet were super swollen... but just in the mornings when I woke up. As I started walking and moving throughout the day it got much better, but that first walk down the hall to the bathroom each morning was pretty uncomfortable for my feet. 

Another thing? I know I've been so insistent on this the entire pregnancy... but I'm SO SICK of working! Not that it's too strenuous or stressful, I think I'm just ready to turn the page and be done. Kind of like senioritis... or that anticipation of a vacation coming up. Every morning now I sulk out of bed and count the minutes til the work day is over, ugh. Hurry up baby! I want a break from my job!

Otherwise all I have to report is that I've been feeling lots of pulling on my right side... kind of like he's trying to rip through my skin. I've had to avoid sleeping on that side because its gotten fairly painful at night, but STILL... thankfully I haven't been losing much sleep in general. Just lots and lots of bathroom trips! Also, at this point I can not even remember what it feels like to not be pregnant. It seems like ive been at it so long that I've just gotten used to it... but gosh I CAN'T WAIT to sleep on my stomach again (and not have heart burn, or a puffy fat face... yah know haha)

Thanks so much for keeping up with us everyone! Baby bug will be here so soon!!!

Highlights 2012

Just like last year, I'm a few weeks late on posting this, but I still want to have it documented. Here are some of our favorite highlights from 2012:

Top Moments of 2012

• Finding out that we are going to be parents. Hearing our baby's heartbeat, and seeing it squirm around on the ultrasound... so so so unreal :)
• Running a half marathon together, and with my father as well.
• Seeing some incredible concerts at the Ryman (Death Cab, and Mumford)
• Starting (another) new job! Thankfully though, one that is full time with benefits.
• Watching my favorite aunts get married in Key West with great friends and family.
• Moving into a new house that is way more cozy than any of the last ones haha

Favorite New Restaurants

• Lockeland Table
• Marche 
• The Pharmacy
• Maddonna's for brunch
• Hattie B's

Favorite Albums

• Fun: Some Nights
• Mumford and Sons: Babel
• John Mayer: Born and Raised
• Dawes: Nothing is Wrong
• The Head and the Heart: Self Titled

Top Movies We Saw

• Silver Linings Playbook
• The Dark Knight Rises
• The Guilt Trip
• The Avengers
• Moonrise Kingdom
• Five Year Engagement
• The Vow

Favorite New TV Shows

• Newsroom
• Duck Dynasty

Best Trips We Took

• East coast road trip to VA, PA, NYC and DC!!!
• Baseball trips to Atlanta for opening day and Chipper's last home game
• Keywest
• Destin
• Bonnaroo
• Georgia and Florida for Christmas (and baby announcing!)

Favorite Pictures

and here's to many MANY more memories in 2013! Already off to a great start haha

Elite

I would like to take just a quick second to brag about my awesome husband for a moment or two: Since November he has been working for a booking agency called Elite Talent Agency and has been doing SO many cool things for them. For at least the past 6 months he's headed up signing and supporting smaller indie bands, and has found some really great musicians that are going to be really fun to follow in the coming years. With a couple of them being local we've gotten a few chances to go and watch (although Keith certainly goes to more shows than I do). Here are two bands that I think you should check out too:

CALEB

The Vespers

Reunion.2

So I mentioned a while back that Keith's college band was having a reunion show, so I thought it was about time to share some photos from the event. I also have videos, if anyone is interested in watching the madness haha

To Keith: I'm so proud of all the hard work that you put in to make this show happen. I know it wasn't always the most fun, but in the end I know you had a great time, and there were a lot of people who really appreciated getting to see you again for one last time.

and now here are some awesome photographs from the show that they played in Cincinnati at The 86 Club. I got these photos from their Facebook page:

Reunion

Tonight is the night. Months in the making, and not without drama, Keith's college band Sophia is playing a reunion show at Rocketown tonight and I am so excited to see how excited he is for it. I've seen them play at Rocketown (at the old location) twice before and it's an adventure every time! I wish that I had photos I could share, but I think I've lost my iPhoto library about 4 times since then haha. Here's to tonight and seeing my husband turn into a little kid again running around on stage like a rockstar :)

From their 2008 cd release via myspace  

Extravaganza

I'm sad that I haven't gotten to put these photos up sooner, but the days seem to be flying by faster than I can count them. I promise that sometime soon I'll actually write about how work is going, and what life is like in the Richard's household these days... but "these days" have just been to full to make that happen, apparently! Last weekend Keith's family made the trip to Nashville to celebrate a slightly belated 50th birthday for his beautiful mother, and we all really had a blast. Keith's band played a show Friday night, Saturday we had a nice lunch, took the Yazoo tour and danced our butts off at the B52's concert and Sunday was all about relaxing together. Here are some photos from their visit:

Belated

This post goes out to a very important lady in our lives, and I hope that she forgives me for putting this up a day late (you know how life just gets in the way sometimes...)

Anyway, Keith and I both want to wish a SUPER AWESOME EXTRA SPECIAL HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY to his beautiful mother Tami!!! Here's to 50 more years of being awesome! She will be in town next weekend to celebrate by going to see the B52's at the Ryman, and she was kind enough to let us tag along with her. Can't wait to eat lots of great food, listen to some killer music and just have a blast with her, Joe-dad and Christopher in town!

We love you and can't wait to see you!

kickin it old school since I'm still in wedding nostalgia mode...

Taking Me Back

Talking about a tiring week! But when is it not, I guess. I think that I've finally just admitted to myself that we're in the time of our lives where things just DON'T STOP. We never have a break because there is always something, big or small, going on in our worlds. I can't even imagine what it would be like to bring a child into all this craziness... but then again, I could just be overreacting (and tired).

This past Tuesday Keith and I got a chance to go see one of my most favorite bands from high school, Death Cab for Cutie. We bought these tickets forever ago and in the chaos that is our monthly schedule, we almost forgot that we were going. It was a welcome surprise when we looked at the calendar and actually remembered that we had something fun to look forward to. Since Keith has access to fancy tour history websites, we looked up that I has previously seen Death Cab in 2004, 2005 and 2006, meaning that its been SIX years since I've given them a proper listen. I was worried about not enjoying this concert because they've put out a couple albums since then that I never purchased, and as we were walking into the Ryman we could tell that the crowd had definitely gotten younger since the last time I was at one of their shows. Still though, they managed to blow me away! I counted, and they only played 3 songs from the album they're touring for, and 2 from the album before that... the rest of the set was made up of songs from all of my most favorite cds. It was glorious! I had such a great time singing along to all my old favorites, and it really took me back to high school and the first time that I ever saw them live, which was one of the greatest shows of my life. They're great musicians who put on a great live show, and I can't see myself passing up an opportunity to see them live anytime they happen to be near. For as great as they sounded, and as great as the set was, the crowd there turned out to be pretty terrible. I think that because they played so many older songs that newer listeners hadn't heard before, people were getting restless and talking which is a HUGE pet peeve of mine. Regardless, I had a wonderful time, and it was nice to have a little midweek date with Keith :)

Birthday Concert

This past weekend my uncle Chris and his girlfriend Heidi came to visit us! We had such a blast showing them around town and taking them to some of our most favorite places to eat. The main event for the weekend though was seeing Ringo Starr play at the Ryman Saturday night. What a crazy amazing experience to be able to say now that I've seen a Beatle play live! Can't thank Chris enough for that one haha. One of the reasons Chris was so adamant about seeing this show was that it was his birthday, but also Ringo's birthday too. Needless to say it was a VERY fun weekend, filled with food, drinks, laughs and good times. Here are some photos from our adventures:

Before they even arrived, Theo welcomed their arrival by finding a nice spot under the covers on their freshly made guest bed. What a brat...

Right off the plane we drove them over to Yazoo to have some local beers and to catch up. 

We obviously had a great time because we left with 3 growlers of beer hahaha After this we proceeded to Mas Tacos where we nearly finished them all. Oops.

Saturday at noon Ringo did his annual birthday "peace and love" broadcast at the Hardrock downtown, so we made our way over to join the crowd in singing happy birthday. 

Peace signs all around!

Afterwards we walked over to Hatch Show Print to check out the posters that would be selling at the show.

Then we took them on a tour of the Belmont/Music Row area and had a renegade tour of RCA Studio B

Which we also toured the first time my parents were in town!

Then lunch and beers for the birthday boy at the Flying Saucer.

Dinner before the show was at our favorite, Burger Up. 

Classic photo in front of the Auditorium

A shot of the poster we got for Chris' birthday present... all too relevant because of his shared birthday with Ringo (we got one for ourselves too, come on... he was a BEATLE!)

Chris and Heidi getting ready for the show to start.

Ringo and the All Star Band! What a great show, definitely one for the personal record books.

A shot of everyone on the stage during the finale of "A Little Help from my Friends" which included Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Kix Brooks, Joe Walsh and lots of others I didn't recognize...

Getting lovey during the show.

After party honky tonkin at Roberts

 Sunday didn't get pictured much because we did our best to just sleep up, hang around the house and all those other great things that come along with Sundays. We did have two great meals: lunch at Mitchell's and a fabulous dinner at Coco's Italian Market in West Nashville. Overall... SO great having them in town and being able to spend some time with my uncle without the glorious chaos that sometimes comes along with getting the whole family together. Can't wait to have them come visit again!