This Week I'm....

Well, illness has hit the Hogan household in full force. Mike has been couch bound for almost a week now and the doctor asked him to come back on Wednesday for a mono or tonsillitis test. She gave him antibiotics, which seemed to have killed the virus and accompanying fever, but now he has some sort cough/congestion thing that sounds HORRIBLE and leaves him breathless every time he laughs at the 50 millionth FRIENDS episode we watch.  Mike and I, being the medical professionals we are, have ruled out mono because he doesn't have the fatigue that accompanies mono usually, which leads us think it's tonsillities.  He'll tell you it's from diphtheria since he's overdue on his shot, I say it's from the cold he's been fighting on and off for the past month. I'll let you decide. Luckily, I've managed to fend off this illness for the most part. I have a sore throat and feel a little congested, but nothing more than a normal cold would give you.  Knock on wood it stays that way.

Between the illness, cancelling our baby moon due to said illness (our life is a baby moon so we can't really complain), and reading about all that's happening in our country's politics (pre-existing conditions! A freaking civil rights leader! That press conference!), I figured we all needed a distraction.  I remembered that last year, I did a bunch of posts like this one and this one and figured it was a good opportunity to do another one!

So, here we go! This week I'm...

• reading I'll Give You the Sun.  I'm not in love.  It's a little too out there for me.  It has a good basic plot (twins who's mom dies and they are navigating being teenagers), but it's a little too artsy/day dreamy for my liking.  I'm about halfway through and am having trouble making myself read.  I hate when that happens. 
• listening  I just subscribed to a bunch of new podcasts.  Call Your Girlfriend, Still Processing, and The Popcast to name a few.  My go-to is still Story Corps, but these new ones seem promising.  Any other recommendations?
• doing  I've been able to work out throughout this whole pregnancy which I'm so thankful for.  I really think it's helped me feel better. In fact, throughout my first trimester, I really couldn't tell a difference when working out. The past few weeks though, I've been a little winded when working out.  I've been doing the Beach Body maternity workouts and they've been pretty easy, but this week I had to tone it down and do the third trimester workout (I'm almost there anyways!). I'm not upset, just trying to listen to what baby Maximus and my body is telling me.
• eating this avocado chicken salad.  So so good!
• researching new cars! We're going to need a second car when we get back to the States in August and it will most likely be a mid-sized SUV, so I've been trying to start researching so that we can test drive them right when we get back and make the big purchase soon after.  Any recommendations about what to look for, especially in a "mom car" are appreciated!
• watching The Americans.  We're about four episodes in and really enjoying it.  It's about two KGB spies who are living in the United States during the Reagan administration. Keri Russel and Matthew Rhys are the main spies, but the entire cast is great.  It's a good compromise for Mike and I because it's got the action for Mike and the drama/relationship stuff for me.  Definitely recommend it.  Thanks Matt and Katy!  I have a whole list of television shows that people have recommended, so hopefully I'll be able to knock some of those off leading up to and directly following Baby Maximus' arrival. 
• enjoying my manicure and pedicure!! In attempts to get out of the germ infested space known as our apartment, I went to get a manicure and pedicure yesterday and it was wonderful. #treatyoself
• watching/reading the Bush sisters' letter to the Obama sisters (I'm not crying, it's just the onion I'm chopping!).  Regardless of politics, I have a lot of respect for all four of these ladies.  I can't imagine what growing up with your dad as president must be like and they all handled it with grace and class (most of the time!) and have turned out to be an inspiration to women everywhere. 

"You have lived through the unbelievable pressure of the White House. You have listened to harsh criticism of your parents by people who had never even met them. You stood by as your precious parents were reduced to headlines. Your parents, who put you first and who not only showed you but gave you the world. As always, they will be rooting for you as you begin your next chapter. And so will we."  -Jenna and Barbara Bush

• passing along this image. You may have seen hearts floating around Facebook in order to raise support for breast cancer awareness.  While this is great because it makes people ask what the heart is for, I think this image does a lot more and I'm glad to see it popping up on Facebook just as much as the hearts.

Welp, that's pretty much it for around here.  Back to watching another episode of the Americans and fending off illness! Have a great week!