Peepish

I have been feeling pretty peepish these days.
 
What is peepish you say?
 
Well watch the first part of this. It may illustrate "peepish" for you.
 

 
So clearly I have felt like I am expanding. You know how it goes. It gets colds. You get cuddly. I just get cuddly by packing on warmth with my own layers rather than sweaters!
 
After our Utah Thanksgiving and three days of skiing (more on this later!) I felt pretty good about well I did on the slopes. The few days of activity doing something I love really got me motivated to get to running.
 
I've been pretty good in getting to the gym after work and putting on down some miles each night. It is amazing how quickly any glimmer of being in shape can disappear if you don't keep up your routine. Luckily, I am getting my legs under me, and each run feels better and better! Hopefully with more skiing around the corner I will keep motivated and will defeat that microwaved peep feeling!

Surprises

I love a good surprise. I don't need them all the time, and they hold a level of specialness if they are kind of rare.
 
There are some marked moments in my life where someone really knocked my socks off and here they are with my latest surprise that is beyond exciting.

The first surprise that makes some of my top lists was an Easter morning when I was maybe 6/7 (maybe younger?). A week or two before Easter I had been at the Albertson's (Boise's main grocery store when I was a wee little one) and up near the cash registers there were stuffed animals hanging from poles where they had the magazines, gum and all that good stuff. There was a GIANT yellow bunny, that was holding a bright orange carrot. For whatever reason I was enamoured with this fluffy monstrosity of a rabbit. Sadly, despite my pleading, bargaining and possible tantrum (mom I hope I wasn't that bad!) we left with only groceries and no bunny. Pretty sure I would never see him again, I moved on.

Easter morning came around and in my family we get some pretty elaborate Easter baskets. Candy and a few gifts from the "Easter Bunny". My sister had gotten a pretty awesome gift (maybe shoes? maybe a sweatshirt?) and I had finished opening my basket so I headed off to the TV room. I came around the corner to sit in the chair I always curled up in annnddddd..... THERE WAS THE GIANT YELLOW BUNNY!!

I grabbed that giant bunny, trucked on out to the dining room with a huge smile and felt like my little child heart would just burst with love and delight!

Now I still have the giant bunny, so clearly this surprise really stuck with me!

Much later down the road I was gearing up for that epic birthday where you cross the threshold into complete freedom and become a legal, card carrying, alcohol purchasing 21 year old. Originally my sister and I had talked about her flying to Seattle to possibly celebrate with me and for whatever reason, plans kind of fell through and I planned a big shindig with 20ish of my sorority sisters, friends, and business school peeps. I was kind of sad Nicole wasn't going to be there, but I also knew I had tons of great friends to celebrate with.

A huge group of people came (which was horribly flattering!) and we started to take seats around the various tables that had been reserved just for us. There was a chair in the middle of the table that I decided to take, and when a friend asked if they could sit next to me, my sorority sister, Carly, practically jumped out of her chair with a "NO! We are...umm...putting gifts there". I was like " Say whhhhaaatttt?". Regardless, I just started to get settled in for a yummy dinner and while finding a place for my purse I caught a glimpse of someone familiar walking into the room. Then it hit me! It was NICOLE!

Carly had contacted my sister after I had told her I was bummed that I wouldn't get to have Nicole celebrate with me and they crafted a very sneaky surprise to have Nicole surprise me. It has gone down as by far one of my favorite birthdays.

Now these have both been some of the best surprises, for various reasons, but lately someone else added to my list of great surprises people have done for me.

It was a few Saturdays ago, and I was in the mood to just be kind of alone and opted to camp out at my favorite coffee shop for the morning. N had mentioned heading to REI that day, and I was dragging my feet as I was just enjoying some of that quiet time and feeling a little homesick by myself. After a sufficient amount of time sipping coffee, reading blogs, devouring a cupcake and people watching, I finally let him know I was headed home and would be up to go to REI if he wanted. He said he was and that I should come over and meet him at his apartment.

When I arrived, he let me get down the hallway from his entrance and then says "I have a surprise for you, but you have to close your eyes". So I squeeze my eyes tight, and he steers me into his room, for me to open my eyes to feast on these beauties:

 
 EEEEK! I still can't get over it! I love them so much! When we went to Colorado last year to ski together (btw...huge step in a relationship :) ) I got to demo these for a day and I loved them. For months I had tried to find a pair I could afford, and sadly just couldn't squeeze them into my budget. Lucky for me, I have a very very very thoughtful, and loving guy in my life who even wrapped them in a big red ribbon and bow. Oh! Did I mention he had my family ship my new ski boots out and he put my favorite candy (nerds ropes!) in each boot! Ah-mazing! Talk about a Merry Christmas for me!

What have been some of your favorite surprises? Do you like surprises? I can say that some people reallllly don't like them.

If you want to read about a blog friend's post on surprises today you can check out Newlymeds and her experience with a surprise party for her sister!

ps. When I am home I will try to take a picture of the bunny. He is REALLY epic.

Baby on Board!

For the Royals that is....

Christmas came early, when Wills and Kate announced that they are expecting today!

I could not be more excited for the royal couple and the future babe! If you are anything like me you practically fell out of your chair at work today with giddy excitement. I loved having multiple people tell me I was the one to break the news to them and how it "was fitting it came from me".

I love me some Wills and Kate! Congrats to the happy couple and if you've heard, we can hope that Kate will be feeling much better soon after some nasty morning sickness!

Now if you will excuse me I need to figure out what I am going to send them as a baby gift and also start a Pintrest board on all things baby I think Kate should have! Oh, and I need to get my ad up to be their au pair. I also need to figure out how to make sure that my offspring will be eligible for an arranged marriage, or to study abroad with the little royal!

Ballet Fashion and Reading

I love anything ballerina themed: parties, movies, cakes, art, and clothes. I could get suckered into buying just about anything if it looks like a tutu or leg warmers. Ruche just released a look book all ballerina and all me recently. I can't tear my eyes away from these awesome images!

I love a soft grey and pale pink paired together. Timeless and classic. Also love that high necked meshy white leotard! Classy look!

Love the stripes, but more so love the meeting or urban and classical here. Pointe shoes meet concrete. My hearts goes lubdub.

Red shoes (nice historical tip of the hat if you ask me). Tulle skirt. Glitter. Low knotty bun. Yes. Yes. And some more yes.

In other dance related news I have started reading Apollo's Angels looking at the social history of dance. I saw this book almost two years ago now, and I am just not getting it on my reading list. In the first 35 pages it has given me more to think about regarding ballet than I have mulled over in a long time. It is a meaty read. Not really leisure reading. Thought provoking and educational. If you like that sort of thing when it comes to dance.

(Also when I took French in high school I went through a few years were I would spell danse. How refined of me!)

 

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Cake Art

It has been awhile since there has been any wedding inspiration around these parts. That baking binge I was on for awhile required my attention to be focused on recipes and different kinds of cheese (but more on that later). A slow afternoon allowed me to stumble across a NY Magazine article showing cakes that were inspired by art. Considering some cakes can end up being a monstrosity of fondant, pipping and embellishments, these were refreshing, and would add a touch of personality to the big day.

( via NYMag)

Another cake that really caught my eye lately had nothing to do with weddings, but the flavor and frosting looked amazing.Not to mention the mini marzipan animals were too cute. It was featured in an issued of Martha Stewart Living (oh Martha, be still my heart) a few months ago, and every time I flip through the article I think how I need to try to make the basic cake recipe but also how I need a lot of money, a swanky place to hold a one year olds birthday, and a one year old!

(All images from the Martha Stewart Living October 2012 Issue)

Anyone else dying to have those little animals on a cake. So cute. I love.

 

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I Wish I Had A Mouse in my Brain

Or a mini monkey. Perhaps a possum? (No those are gross looking) Small bunny perhaps. I guess anything that could take notes on my thoughts when I am walking to work and could then send me a memo later in the day so I could remember all those brilliant, hilarious and perfectly worded blog ideas I had.

I had inspiration hit for a post today when I was like 2 blocks away from work. I kept chanting the post title as I walked into the building, rode the elevator and walked to my office. Then I was bombarded. When I finally could sit down with a notepad to document the inspiration. Poooof! Gone. Like a fart in the breeze. No way to recover it. (Unlike the fart, I wanted to hold on to this thought). All I remember is something to do with the idea of when do you fully commit to a relationship. I mean obviously, no one puts all their cards on the table (or rather shows their partner all their cards) before they are sure that they want them to be involved in their game of poker. That moment. When is it? When is it appropriate? When is it way past the point when both parties should be doing that. (Ahhh, yes. It is all coming back to me now). I'll get this into another post for another day. Meanwhile, if anyone knows were I can buy a small animal to put in my head that will help me remember all these brilliant thoughts, let me know. I am in the market to purchase one.

In other remember news. I dug out my few Christmas decorations I have ( a few more purchased this year from trusty ol' IKEA) and spent a few hours last night hanging garlands, lights and ornaments around my room (remember I only have 415 sq feet) to ringing in my favorite time of year. I resurrected my Christmas Camel I bought last year at Mount Vernon, put out my sequined squirrel my sister bought me a few years ago. I named him Nibblet. I woke up this morning, and was so thrilled to see all the festivity going on in my small space. I can't tell you how excited I am to get home this year (and never ever come back...ok not really, but one could wish) and get my Christmas on.

Perhaps someone will buy me my mini head bunny that I need this year!

How does everyone else stay organized and on top of making sure their blogspiration doesn't just slip on out of their heads?

You Won't Find this on WedMD

When I get really fired up, or really upset I sink into this almost sub-human, not-natural, overly cordial and appropriate human who goes through some coping stages to gain "control". Now, this isn't common, but just sometimes I go through what I like to call the 4 phases of freak out.  

Phase 1: Detached and Cordial Hear me Roar

Not much to see here folks. I pretty much become the fake sorority version of myself that got me through rush pulled together power house of a woman I can be, sans the "err, umm" ness that typically accompanies my personality. If you don't spend a lot of time around me, I probably just come off as distracted. BEWARE: Deep down it is like a really tired three year old who is all fun and games until they trip and fall.

This gives away to my need to see results...

Phase 2: Baking to Cope

Cookies typically. Chocolate chip is usually the for sure sign I have moved into phase two (or if one missed phase 1- this is a pretty apparent sign). Sometimes I will go for something really complicated. Seven layer cake. Baked Alaska. Truffles. Usually I go with something that is quick, comes with clear direction and I know the outcome. I like the feeling of pulling out a sheet of cookies and knowing that I followed the directions and therefore got exactly what was expected and predicted. No back talking, no behavior that makes me want to bang my head against a wall. Just pure, delightful cookies that I can eat to distract myself.

Phase 3: Cleaning

If the cookies don't make me feel better, or don't give me time to sort through my frustration (or I realized I made my tush bigger and didn't solve anything).  I move on to cleaning. Deep cleaning. Refrigerators, nooks and crannys, drawers that I usually just pretend don't exist, closets, and under furniture. Luckily, for me this usually results in a pretty clean apartment. You can get out a lot of frustration scrubbing, scrapping, pushing and pulling cleaning products around. You also can run through a few rolls of paper towels. Your skin can also get so dry it hurts the next day. Oh, but it feels so good?

This is the phase that usually breaks me. I can't say I have hit the cleaning phase and not finally, completely and totally lost my ish and finally just cried, and finally verbally diarrheaed on someone. That isn't to say there isn't a Phase 4....

Phase 4: ???

I hope that this could potentially be excessive working out and healthy eating habits...but let's be real, this is me we are talking about. I am thinking it is something more like excessive poodle purchasing. I'd probably have 8-10 poodles in this phase and would start wearing knit sweaters with poodles on them (oh wait....I already do that). You get the point. I don't think I or anyone every wants to see Phase 4.

Let's add some real life examples to this, shall we?

This weekend. I baked. I baked brown butter, nutella stuffed sea salt cookies. I also bought everything to make chewy pumpkin cookies. After the baking? Well I just finished a marathon 5 hours deep scrub of the main room of my apartment. Oh! You are going to open that drawer in my tv stand? Oh! It is perfectly organized and clean? Yea, that is right. I went a little nuts. My hands hurt. I am down one roll of paper towels and my apartment smells like synthetic lemon. I also didn't stop because I felt better. No. Instead I stopped so I could take a shower and put some real clothes on. Pretty sure I have another few days of the Phase 3ness. Unless I lose my ish. Which I might. Never can tell when I am going to hit that point.

For now, I am going to ride out this cleaning craze. Hope I make it to my closet and then I will just anticipate the need to eat all those cookies I made....

Clean Bill of Health

Well at least for my teeth that is.

I won't even go into how long it has been since I have been to a dentist (shhhh, mom and dad, you don't see this), but it has been a looonnngg time. Growing up I have always had healthy, cavity free health, so needless to say, my palms were sweating on my walk to the dentist office thinking how they were going to tell me that I had to have all my teeth-pulled,  reconstructive jaw surgery, and braces again.

This was a new dentist office for me (if you are looking for a recommendation in the DC area, let me know), so I got the full run down of x-rays, pictures (upcloseandpersonal!) of my teeth and an all too peppy hygienist who could tell I was mashing my hands together until my knuckles turned white! (Did you know that if you had a sealant on a tooth and it came off it could actually stain your tooth!)

After a lot of scraping and me fearing the "ooo that doesn't look good" I was sent on my merry little way with a  goody bag of teeth cleaning supplies.  I walked out with some clean chompers and a clean bill of health! Amen!

Post-Election Sleep Needs

I would feel ashamed if I didn't mention the election on this little blog. It is Tales from Washington DC after all, not Tales from Boise or Tales from Seattle (sadly). So saying something about the election only seems fitting.

I am sure most of you (since most of you are my family or close friends), have figured out that politics is one of the furthest things from my mind on any given day. Despite my DC address and my politically themed job, I am pretty non-vocal about my political views.

This was my first time voting in DC (last time I lived in VA), and it was kind of fun to make a trip out of, following by post-voting Starbucks.

Living in DC during the past few years and witnessing Obama's first election, and now again, four years later, has been exciting and thrilling. Watching the election results on Tuesday night with friends, their little bambinos, and some pizza, was a fantastic DC memory to make.

I am hopeful for the next fours years and excited to get to continue to follow the beautiful first family. I love Michelle, the girls and Bo!

via USA Today

The punishment for staying up until the wee hours of the morning to watch the speeches and news coverage? Early bedtimes, a coffee IV at work, and haphazard lunches. I am certainly ready for a weekend, a Monday off from work, and lots of sleep.

Evening Stroll

Having a consultant for a boyfriend ( or is it a boyfriend who is a consultant :)?) can be really hard, and emotionally trying. There are a lot of nights and evening of wishing they weren't traveling and a lot of worrying about them when they are traveling. Needless to say, having someone who understands the perspective of a consultant SO can be really comforting.

A, not only understands it, she knows exactly what I am feeling most of the time, as our consultant boyfriends work together. A and I also work together, doubling the understanding part of our friendship. She has been such a supportive, understanding and caring person to have in my life. As time goes on, I know our friendship runs deep and I truly enjoy the time we spend together ( even at work). Now past the sappy part....

On Sunday, both our CSOs had left for work trips, leaving both of us a little blue. Thinking I had who ho hum night of watching TLC, I was excited to get a gchat from A asking if I to walk around Meridian Hill Park.

We met up 15 minutes later to stroll this beautiful DC park, listen to the drummers, and then went to the newish Pleasant Pops store to get some pre-dinner dessert.

While I did take my big girl camera, I sadly didn't check the battery, so I only got one photo before it died! It was a beautiful fall evening, complete with a poodle!

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Never Long Enough

How is it that 5 days of work always seems like a month and two days of weekend seems like 15 minutes?

Other things that never last long enough (but perhaps because I just love them so much!) are my Toms. I can usually wear through a pair of Toms in about 6 months flat, but I somehow stretched the life of my current pair for exactly a year. These ones went to Turkey with me, survived the holidays in Idaho, a whole DC summer and a good chunk of fall this year. Sadly, they have finally bit the dust! Past the normal holes I wear in the toes and heels, I wore a hole in the BOTTOM!!!

Not much one can do once you have worn a whole like that in the botton! So to the trash they went.
 
I already miss them. My shoe selection is pretty much Toms-less at this point, and it breaks my heart!
 
Last night I started dreaming about what new pair of Toms I would like to add to my shoe collection. I found a lot more than just Toms that I want!
 
I am really liking these Toms though, not sure I could pick if I had to:

I also got a little carried away and found some other shoes I wouldn't mind getting my feet into.

 
These come in so many fun colors! A perfect weekend shoe (that maybe would keep me from wearing out my Toms so quickly!).
 
My boat shoes that I also got for our Turkey trip are on their last legs, and I am torn between a few different replacements to mix it up.

 

 

 

I also found this pair:

 

Love. Lust. Want.

 

The grey and cranberry colors are so perfect. I just die every time I look at them!

 



 Which pair would you pick for me to replace my beloved Toms?

 

Something besides cereal for dinner!!

After the fire alarm debacle of 2012, I have been a bit shy to cook anything past a bowl of cereal. Typically the bf is around to help me cook (we do Sunday dinners almost weekly), but with him gone for work, I am left to my own devices. Cereal just wasn't doing it for me tonight so I decided to copy a dish I had a long time ago at Cork Wine Bar. They serve avocado on toasted bread, with pistachios, and olive oil. It is salty, savory, and delightful! I made my own version tonight and it was pretty close to the original!

Under 15 minutes and a perfectly filling and tasty dinner that didn't come out of a box!

"Oui"=We: Speaking in Parisian

Has anyone heard the relationship phrase "You should be speaking in Parisian"?

I hadn't! Apparently it is lingo for saying there should be a lot of "Oui" or "We" rather than "I" in a relationship.

Catchy huh? So go...speak Parisian to your love.

Or buy them a poodle....they are french!

Or that was just a weak attempt to include a picture of Theo, since he is so cute.

Meditating without Laughing

We tried something new tonight. We meditated.

Not like the  "I just thought deeply about something for a long time". I really went to a Buddhist center and was coached through a 30 minute meditation session. Nothing complicated, for the true beginner, but just a quick class to cause the stress of the day to melt away.

I was skeptical. There were only two of us who came to the class. I really thought I was going to end up giggling the entire way through. I also was trying to figure out the jam, pretzel chips, and Starbucks canned drink on the "alter". Where they "offerings"? Regardless, sitting there, all I could think it this was not going to go well, and that my back hurt.

Well 30 minutes later and a lot of focusing on the "clear water" space in my mind and letting "thoughts come and go like the waves", I left feeling more centered, more rational regarding some of my emotions and my back stopped hurting.

While I am not anywhere near understanding all that is meditation. I found it relaxing and it did help make me feel better and more focused.

If you are looking to try it out yourself, this is where I went.

Hiding Something So Well you Can't Find It

I do this a lot.... buy a gift, or something you need to hold on to for awhile before you use it, so you hide it from yourself or others, and then it vanishes  crawls into a corner of your closet you didn't know you had. Then I forget about these things and when I am moving or doing a spring cleaning I find things stashed away and it is like Christmas morning mid-year.

Today was like blogging Christmas for me! I discovered a huge and important thing that I had squirrelled away so well, that I not only forgot about, but didn't even remember hiding!

Now you are going to laugh. I laughed. Then I teared up a bit.

So, when I decided "Let's do this!" regarding the blog (i.e. continuing to write and post on my own terms) I created a separate email account thinking it would help me stay organized and assist in any "branding" I ever wanted to do. Well folks...it kind of helps if you remember that you set-up a separate email and if you checked that separate email and if you knew that you linked your blogger profile to that email. Epic. F-A-I-L.

So here I am reading over Allie's post on making friends in blogworld, thinking to myself "man I would LOVE to have those awesome connections with all these greater readers out there!". Reading her post, I decided to check to make sure my email was attached to my blogger account and the BAM! I found that hidden treasure.

Oh looky here...an email account I forgot I had. Oh and an email account full of emails from readers!!! Say WHAT!?!? These people like me? They really really like me!?

(This is where I pretty much flipped my chair over standing up so fast to do a happy dance)

Needless to say...that blogging community I have been wanting to build for myself. It is there! All neatly categorized and tucked away in my lonely email account!

So this is a HUGE "thank you". Thank you to the people who have emailed, started conversations with me, asked me follow-up questions and generally just have kept reading. This is also a HUGE "I'm sorry" for doing such a good job of hiding this gem from myself and not taking advantage of all you wonderful people!

I am pretty excited about my discovery! Hopefully some of you don't mind some really delayed follow-up emails as I try to restore my dignity by digging through these emails!

Now for all of you...how do you connect with the blogworld? Do you have a strategy for emails/comments/tweets etc. to keep everything organized?

Teeny Tiny Apartments and Metro Buses

DC. DC. DC. I loathe you right now.

A little story that happened this week: 

A childhood friend of mine who happened to end up in DC invites me over frequently for crock pot dinners and wine (just like how our mom's hang out back home...maybe sans the crock pot). It had been awhile since we had seen each other (we had TONS to catch up on) and he invited me over for Wednesday dinner. It ended up that his place with a bit chaotic to have dinner that night so I offered to host since I never host.

I mean let's be real, I eat lucky charms and frozen burritos for dinner when I am at my place.  I am just a serious disaster in the kitchen when it comes to cooking. I do know how to bake. Baking and cooking are NOT the same thing. You can see this story is not going to end well.

All bright-eyed-and-busy-tailed to put on the bestdinneryouhaveevereatandohandreadidyoulearntocook?, I left work headed to the grocery store and even managed to remember to buy an appetizer. At home I quickly shove things in my closet, picked up the bathroom and made sure to have the table set complete with entertaining candles. Cheese platter out, bottle of pumpkin beer cracked, I slice, dice, stir and prep for a meal of brussel sprouts with bacon and shallots, creamy parmesan polenta, and grilled petite fillet steaks. B arrives, we crack the wine, are swapping work horror stories, and I finally get the steaks on the grill pan. Smoke starts to accumulate despite my fan and open window efforts. My teeny tiny apartment doesn't come with a hood fan, so naturally it just gets worse and worse.

Logical option: open the front door so I am getting cross ventilation from the hallway.

The part I didn't think about with opening that door. Central fire alarm system. BEEEEEEEEEEP!!!BEEEEEPPPP BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

Oh that's right. I set off the BUILDING's fire alarm. First instinct was to flee the scene of the crime, but logic took over and I knew it was best to fess up so they didn't end up searching the entire building and getting the fire department all up in arms. After 7 painful minutes with the entire building standing outside, the building manager arrived and I fessed up to my stupid cooking mishap. Luckily, she was INCREDIBLY understanding. She probably knew the humiliation of having everyone in the building know it was me was enough punishment. We avoided having the fire department show up, but it was bad. Really bad. B did his best to make sure we ate our cold meal and finished that bottle of wine, but I won't lie... the minute he left and I was alone, I burst into tears. 

This wasn't even an incident where I burnt something, or things were going to end up tasting bad. This was my teeny tiny apartment, not having the shit that an apartment at the price I pay would have anywhere else. I start to over think that "why am I doing this anymore? what am I getting out of being here anymore?" and it became way more than a stupid fire alarm and cold steak dinner. It was a "I am really tired of all of this" cry.

Then there has been the buses. Last night, making me late to meet friends by almost 30 minutes. This morning I waited 20 minutes for a single bus to show up. Overall commute took 45 minutes when I could have (and should have) just walked.

So DC, you and your over priced, teeny tiny, pathetic excuses for apartments can just leave me alone for awhile. I am tired of your public transportation that just makes me claustrophobic and antsy, and I will say it...I will trade in my metrocard for a new car and a commute any day at this point. Just show me where to sign.

Today it was Fall

It feels like it has taken forever for fall to get here. My tolerance of the DC summers is getting lower and lower each year. I could not wait for cooler temperatures and the absence of my window air conditioning unit humming 24/7. We had gotten close over the past few weeks to having fall, but today was the first real day of fall in my books.

The true signs of fall are not Starbucks pumpkin themed drinks, or the first time I can appropriately (the bf will argue there isn't an appropriate time) wear uggs. Fall is when I can layer my bed with my big fuzzy blanket and also pick a coat in the morning. I love coats and jackets. I love me some fuzzy blankets too.

I contemplated some hot chocolate tonight too, but I sadly thought about it kind of late and didn't want to be up all night on a sugar high from the stacks of marshmallows I insist on layering into my hot cocoa.

Now that we are in fall mode, I have the urge to bake. (Well in theory I have this urge- lately my slothness has really trumped any sort of creative outlet). Pumpkin is sounding good, but I am oddly craving a multi-layer chocolate cake.

My sweaters are calling from the closet and I will have to unpack my rotating box of stored clothes here soon.

While I have been begging for fall to come. I also can't believe another fall, and another upcoming DC winter just around the corner. In a quest to find some photos for a project I am hoping to do soon, I came across pictures from my first year in DC. In some ways it seems like yesterday, and in others, it seems like worlds away. Did I think I would see two elections in DC? Um. No.

But back to fall....

What else I am looking forward to? Carving a pumpkin and roasting some pumpkin seeds!

Trifecta

I'm in a funk. I've lost the pep in my voice and the spring in my step. I've kind of turned into mix between a sloth and cookie monster. Pardon my whoa-is-me-session, I will try to keep it brief.

I am at a loss of how everything seems to be coming hard right now. We can throw in the SATC logic here, and between Love, Work and Apartments, you really can't ever have all three in perfect condition (that is like cheating the universe), but to have all three just being a beast, well it just isn't fair. (yes I am stomping one foot with my arms crossed and kind of pouting right now). I just feel like everything right now is hard and trying and frankly it has me really just down and out. I feel like I am just waiting for the next difficult thing to come around the corner. Like that rent increase I know is coming. Or the next work trip the bf has (or long night of working). Or the homesick feelings that come in waves this time of year. Or the car issues (that seem to be cropping up). Or dealing with the feeling of looking for more with my career. Or the alone feeling I get when I am at home watching TV. Facing my jealousy and insecurities seems like a daily exercise, and it all just feels endless right now. My SATC trifecta of life is just kind of a hot mess and I keep grasping for anything to feel normal or stable.

Times like these I know it is best to just talk it out, let it out, and pray for the deeper and bigger meaning of your life to be ever-so-sneakily revealed to you just enough, to know that there is certainty in chaos and hope in the times you feel the worst.

Ok, off my chest, and hopefully not too whoa-is-me-ness.

Hike!

This weekend we pulled together a quick trip to Chapel Hill so we could see my beloved Idaho Vandal football team.

We got a really late start on Friday, despite our best efforts to get out of the city mid-afternoon. We were driving and the bf starts talking about how I should drive. I wasn't really  thinking he was going to let me drive. After all, I have driven his car once. While means I have really had experience driving a stick shift all of two times in my life, and his car is just so nice. Next thing I know....

I am whipping down the highway at 70 mph in behind the wheel. Now I will say he was completely right, and once we got up to speed it was smooth sailing. It was when we hit the stop light on the off ramp where my blood pressure when up. I didn't kill us both, and we arrived safely in the wee hours of the morning.

Thinking we would just fall into bed, I started getting ready for bed when I hear the bf telling me that the bug bites he had shown me a few days ago had exploded into a giant red rash and were really itchy. We agreed that if it didn't get better, or if it was even a bit worse, we would find a doctor in the morning.

The morning I woke up to a swollen faced version of my bf telling me he had found a emergency clinic and we needed to go. I dragged my sleepy (and rather snappy and cranky) self up and off we went. I had written off the possibility of making it to the football game at this point, since I figured we had hours of tests, hospital waiting rooms, and scares of flesh eating bacteria.

Within five minutes we had a diagnosis. Poison Ivy.

Say what?!? We live in DC. You know...that place that would require poison ivy to be nuclear to grow anywhere where we might walk through it? Well after some consideration, he must have been in contact with in when we were apple picking a few weeks ago, and it just took awhile for the reaction to kick in. Luckily the sent us on our way with some medicine and hopes of the itching to stop.

Then the rain started. My childhood taught me that there is very little that keeps you from two activities: Skiing and University of Idaho football.

So we put on the raincoats and headed out. We grabbed so food and pre-game beers at Top of the Hill and then headed to the game. The Idaho section was pretty small this time around, but we always come prepared to cheer.

Let's Go Vandals!

Soaked. But stil having fun.

Grey, grey skies.

Sadly, my vandals really kind of sucked. So after two quarters, we called it quits. Itchy mcitcherson had done his duty and I was soaked through all my clothes. We went back to the hotel, dried off, napped and then headed to grab some dinner in Durham at Federal.

Sunday brought some better weather and we were able to meet up with my lil' sis from ADPi and had a lovely brunch with her. Mallory always has me laughing so hard, I am practically crying. We had nights in the sorority where we were both were delirious, hopped up on diet soda and chasing sorority girls around the greek system...and they are still some of my favorite memories. I love that girl.

It was so nice to catch up with her and see a familiar face. That might be one of the hardest things about being here. I feel so alone sometimes and most of my friends are so far away that seeing them once or twice a year is about all I get. I love having Mallory so close, and if I do stay in DC I can only hope we get down there to see her a bit more!

How Would You Convince Someone to Elope with You?

My angle was by using the line:

" Well elope rhymes with cantalope. Cantalope is good, I am sure eloping is too".

via

Who could say no?

No, I am not eloping. I promise. Like I really promise. I am not eloping. Can you even see me eloping?!?! Get. Out. Of. Town. If you do.

Around the House

I was home today trying to rest, work and ignore the construction noise and potent cleaning smells from the hallway while they ripped up the god awful carpet in my apartment's hallways. Luckily the hallways look much better with the old tile exposed now. While it is just the hallways, it does make a difference!

Today allowed a lot of time to appreciate some of the small things that make me happy.

These little pups are my favorite salt and pepper shakers. If you tip them when you are setting them down the somtimes "sneeze" salt or pepper on the counters, but other than that, they are well beahaved!

 

Wyatt made this sequined masterpiece for me, and I just adore it. I love any piece of artwork he sends me, but this one always looks particularly stunning on my book shelf. I love coming home from work and seeing this everyday.

 

 

My recent sore throat had me combing my cabinents for any tea I had on hand. Not wanting to take my caffeine intake over the top, I found this apple tea that I brought back from our trip to Turkey last year. While it didn't end up being the same tea that I had in all the cafes in Turkey, it is very tasty and reminds me of fall. When it brews it changes color from green to red, just like apples! With a little sprinkle of brown sugar, it makes me very happy.

 

To drink my tea, I grabbed this mug my mom bought me when we were driving through Kansas.  Complete with pictures of some of my favorite people in the background.

 

While I am a bit stuffed up, the smell from the cleaners in the hallway was overwhelming. I was relieved to remember I purchased a new candle at target the last time I was there. I am love with the scent and am thinking that I'll have to add the bigger version soon since it makes me apartment smell so fresh!

 

 

What are some of the favorite things around your home? It is the small things huh?





The Best Motivation

I started feeling the scratchies in the back of my throat last night. As I was slumped over trying to stay away for a phone call from the bf (and failed) I thought to myself--you are getting sick. I know...mind of over matter, and I totally let my mind get the best of me.

Today. Not death bed sick, but certainly not well and a 9:30 budget meeting where I had already invested too much time, and my fellow comrade had already sacrificed a night of sleep to prep. There was no way I wasn't going to make that meeting. Showered, dressed and bribing myself with splurging on a real breakfast vs. my usual granola bar I forced myself onto the bus.

Naturally that 9:30 meeting turned into a 10am meeting. Then 10:45. Then it was cancelled. Back at my desk I made a targeted to-do list of everything I had to do before I could possibly consider going home. I estimated I could be back on the bus moving back towards jammies and bed by 1. A few hours later than that I did manage to get out of the office, head home, throw on the jammies and passed out for two blissful hours. It. Was. Wonderful.

Now why can't I have that motivation and level of concentration every day? Day in day out? If I was as crazed as I was today to get those things off my to-do list I would be VPHR by the time I am 28! (Ok maybe not, but I would be saving poodles with my spare time since I would be so bored with my lack of a to-do list!)

Lucky for me, I got a ton done today AND a nap. Fingers crossed this sore throat decides to hit the road and allow me to enjoy my weekend!

Go Team Jason

I am not sure how, but I came across this Team Jason website awhile ago, which then led me to Geri's blog. Jason has Cystic Fibrosis, and just got the call in the last 24 hours to get his new set of lungs. Geri just posted a facebook update saying the Jason was awake and doing well with his new lungs earlier today.

 For whatever reason this couple has caught my heart and I have been sending these two my thoughts and prayers for the last few days.They are a really inspiring couple and I love the small glimpse into their lives to see how their love has provide such a deep level of support to get such a scary thing.

If you have a few minutes you should check out the Team Jason website, see the moving video explaining Jason's situation and take a look at Geri's blog too!

If you feel inclined you can even donate to help with the medical expenses that I am sure are adding up for these two! Their story, and the past few days of Jason's life have really reminded me 1) how precious life is 2) how important the people you love are and 3) how amazing life is, that we can find medical innovations to extend lives. Breathtaking.

Anyways, hope you enjoy their story as much as I do and can throw some good wishes their way for a speedy recovery for Jason!

Lack of Focus Monday

I am realllllly struggling to get myself together today. My pit stop to grab coffee signalled "one of those days", complete with a someone cutting in line, a guy who wouldn't get off his phone and beating the temptation to also order a donut due to sheer sadness that is it Monday. So how about a list of good stuff?

I want one of these state stamps, or one for every state I have lived in.

Alexis Russell rings? One of each please!

A reminder of how to keep the negative out and the positive in!

Would love to buy these for all of my friends.

Baby Panda at the National Zoo! Looks like I'll be making a trip soon to see the little bundle of joy AND then new sea lion exhibit.

I'm trying to give up twitter, but apparently I am not the only one who doesn't seem to think I could give up my Pintrest account.

Hang in there Monday-goers, we are half way through and only 4 days more till the next weekend!

Does Marriage Change Everything?

A while back I was doing the girl thing were you start bemoaning to your girlfriends about how you don't have a ring on your finger. The conversation always goes something like this:

Complaining Girl: "Ugh, so I was on facebook and ANOTHER sorority sister got engage, and she like FOUR years younger than me! What am I doing wrong?!?"
Supportive Friend: " Well you can't compare your relationship to anyone else's. It is special and unique, and so YOU, that no one else can compare"
CG: "I knooooow, but don't want to end up alone, with like 40 cats, 20 poodles, 10 betas and a partridge in a pear tree"
SF: "You won't end up alone! You are SUCH a catch! So much going for you ya-da-ya-da-ya-da"
CG: "You're right, I am being irrational, I just really want to avoid all those pets"

Am I right? (Or rather some variation of this conversation goes down)

Well my friend threw me for a loop when I was playing the role of CG.

After letting me go on about "I'm not getting any younger" and "I can't believe all these people are engaged and are twenty years younger than me" she simple looked at me and said:

"Marriage doesn't change anything"

BAM! I felt like a bus flew around the corner and plowed me over. Pardon? It doesn't change anything?!?

I snapped my tongue back in my mouth knowing I was treading on ground where I could say something really dumb.

So I marinated.

I still don't know what I think.  Does marriage change things?

The more I thought about it, the more I lean towards the answer of:  of course it does.

Sure it is just a piece of paper and a social construct. I see her point- I really do. It is all about what you commit to. The other part of me, that part of me that wanted to start arguing and possibly saying something rash, is that of course it changes things. I won't even bring in the religious aspect of this discussion, but I still believe that there is merit to those vows. To that piece of paper. To the promise it creates. I may be making this up in my head, but one of the aspects I find so romantic about marriage is that you are committing to a set of expectations in front of the people that will love and support your relationship. It takes away that 'get-out-of-jail' free card and makes sure you hold up your end of those vows.

What do you all think? Does anyone else have a better explanation of why I possibly so quickly jumped to the defense of marriage? Who sees it as not changing things?


Interested in why you're not married? Just one of my favorite satirical posts about the topic...please note SATIRE.

Bagellettes

When inspiration strikes, particularly baking or crafting inspiration, I obsess. If I am not obsessed with the idea I can tell you right now it will be years before I ever bake or craft that idea. However, if the obsession strikes....well I will carve out an evening, weekend, wee hours if the morning to make it happen. The latest obsession... bagels.

Homemade bagels.

With a crunchy outer shell, and that chewy, dense-but-flaky inside.

What got me hooked on this bagel obsession? Seeing them on cupcakes and cashmere. (follow the link to get the recipe!)

I was a bit intimidated and also a bit shocked with the very few ingredients needed for these!

it did take awhile. There is a lot of waiting, rising, waiting, rising and then baking. I'm sure you are also wondering if all this effort is really worth it. After all, you can just buy a bagel. It. Is. Worth. It.

They are like a bagel's little sister...the bagellette.

A little peanut butter, and a little milk. A little joy. yum!

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