Cherry Blossom Season

I wish this weekend was like the last. Gorgeous, not rainy. In addition to hitting up Middleburg for a few hours, I spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon admiring the cherry blossoms . . and weaving my way through thousands of tourists. My fourth spring here, I thought it about time I went to the Mall and saw them up close. As you can see, it was the day of the pink trees AND the pink cardigan. My friend and her adorable poodle came along. (Message to The Girl: Don't scroll down and look at the puppy. You might end up at the pet store this afternoon.)




Isn't it lovely?

Good Friday to You

First of all, I think you need to see some more pictures of Middleburg. The Girl took some good ones. I have to say, I like the one with the old Jag in the background – it really captures the place I think. I am learning to be more patient with my camera. I need to practice slowing down, finding the right shot, setting it up, etc. I think I will get there someday.

And second of all, and most importantly . . . it’s Good Friday! It’s true that I, and perhaps you too, have heard the story of Jesus’ death on a cross a bajillion times. And when you’ve heard something that much, it tends to become familiar – just a bunch of words and a story we forget is TRUE. And it’s the only reason we can have hope in this temporary world.

Praise God that all my sins have been taken from me and borne by Jesus, and I don’t have to carry their guilt into the future. I’m free!

One thing in particular that struck me today as I was reading the Word was how willingly He did it. He wasn’t a helpless victim! To think of how I’ve sometimes felt sorry for myself when suffering pain. But Jesus suffered more than anyone – not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually, too. He understands any pain we feel, because He’s already felt it. And He endured it so that God would be glorified.

And how good is our God to want to make a way for us to be able to be with Him forever?, to remove the barrier of sin that keeps us from Him. It’s a gift of grace and love that has changed my life. And I want to continue changing because of it.

“When the word of the cross breaks into our heart by the power of God's Spirit (I Peter 1:3, 23), and we awaken to the fact that God loves us so much that he takes the life of his own Son in order to bring us under his Shepherd-care and Shepherd-protection and Shepherd-provision and Shepherd-guidance, at that moment we die to the lie of sin. We die to the power of sin's deceit which tries to persuade us that a better future can be had through sin than through righteousness.” – John Piper

1 Peter 2:21-25
“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.” - Peter writing to Christ followers

Middleburg

Part of the fun that was last weekend included taking an evening trip out to the countryside with The Girl, my former co-worker and good friend. Both Midwesterners and design lovers, we can appreciate an occasional escape from the metropolitan area, especially when it involves cute antique shops like Bella Villa. We both counted the trip a success as we not only left the shop with something in our hands – or trunk, in The Girl’s case – but also enjoyed walking down the main street of this adorable town, even stopping for burgers at a local pub.

I can’t wait for the next excursion! I know of a place in Leesburg . . .

p.s. If you check out the BV website, you can see The Girl's new buffet in the picture on the right!

Company's Coming!

At last, someone is coming to see me again! It's been over a year since anyone has paid me a visit, and I'm excited to show the city to another friend. This friend has visited me twice before, but two years later I'm much more settled into my life here, have new favorite spots and also a core group of friends. I'm disappointed the weather will be a bit cooler than last weekend and rain is in the forecast, too, but hopefully it won't put a damper on any of our plans . . that we haven't made quite yet. Doing tourist stuff is a must here, but in my opinion living here is much more fun. Since she's already seen the must-sees, we can focus on just spending time together doing everyday things.

Having company is a great excuse to clean, but it also reminds me that ugh, I am the only one who ever does! Or at least it feels that way. Fortunately my sweet roommate offered to clean the kitchen floor this time, and I focused on the pretty disgusting bathroom.

I hope she's a little hungry when she arrives, because her favorites - chips and salsa and sparkling water - are waiting, and I'm always up for a snack myself. :)

Pink!

I never should have subscribed to the J. Crew mailing list! They send me emails EVERY DAY! A girl can only take so much. The cargo pants, the sweaters, the constant sales! Last month I finally caved. It was right around Valentine's Day, and I agreed that free shipping pretty much DID equal love, just like they said, only I didn't think the prerequisite should be a $150 purchase, a little high in my opinion. But I still went ahead and purchased this pink cardigan, no free shipping for me. Last weekend it was finally warm enough to wear it. I don't often do pink, but I think it was the perfect choice.

A Favorite Vacation Spot: Branson

I’m sure everyone, including my Branson-regular friends are surprised to see me list this place as a favorite vacation spot.

Since the Traveler asked “Where do you stay and what's your favorite "to do" in Branson?”, I thought I’d share the answer with all of you.

I’ve visited Branson only three times before, but I’d love to go back again. I used to think of this family-friendly Missouri town as a place only my grandparents would enjoy. In fact, it probably wouldn’t even be hip enough for Uptown Grandma. But I took back those preconceived notions after traveling there with AMC (Awesome Married Couple) a few years ago. But who wouldn’t change their mind when staying at a house overlooking the fabulous Table Rock Lake? Every day, after toast for breakfast, we’d grab our swim gear and drive down to the docks in West Branson, where AMC’s gorgeous boat awaited us. And we’d spend ALL DAY ON THE LAKE. Then into Branson for the evening.

So my favorite “to do” is boating, cliff jumping (although be careful, someone was killed in one spot), jet-skiing, and docking for greasy pizza slices or Danna’s BBQ. Definitely Danna’s BBQ. The BBQ nachos are “highly acclaimed” for a reason. Save room for dessert, too – but it won’t be easy.

Evenings in Branson were always the perfect end to an exhausting day in the sun. The show or two I went to was quite good, though. I also enjoyed putt-putt golf, the rip cord, and stopping at Scottie’s Frozen Custard (which sadly has closed, I believe). What a shame! One thing I never did but heard good things about was dinner on the Showboat. Somewhat pricey, but worth it, or so I’ve heard.

So yes, Branson is great! And before I forget, I should mention a great place to stay if you don’t have friends in the area. Big Cedar Lodge is right on the lake, a cozy place where my friends have stayed before. Their Sunday brunch is delicious, too. We would take long morning boat rides across the lake for it.

I hope the Traveler and his friends have fun on their trip! I’m confident they will.

It's Somebody Special's Birthday

Last week, the girls and I (and Boopa the doll) celebrated our non-birthdays. After all, isn't cake always a little better when there's a candle to blow out?

Today my favorite friend of twelve years plus is celebrating her real birthday. How did 28 come so soon? Weren't we just eating at Applebee's for her 16th?

But no need to dread the late 20s when the coming year promises to be extra special. Best Friend is pregnant! I can't recall if I've written about this before, but I'm thrilled as can be to meet Baby S! I know BF and her husband will be wonderful parents, and hopefully I will be a wonderful auntie.

I wish I could celebrate with her today, bake her a cake, sing her a song (although I doubt I could top the song-and-dance routine she and her hubby did for me on my birthday). She is a dear, sweet friend to me, and I can only hope that we can reunite in the not-too-distant-future for a belated celebration (preferably on a beach somewhere). ;)

Happy Birthday to my beautiful BEST friend.

Meme

I had such a perfect weekend, and I hope to post some pictures soon. But I’ll be lazy instead and leave this fun little meme. You should fill it out, too!

What is your current obsession? Wanting to make this blog prettier! It’s driving me nuts!

Do you use canvas or plastic bags when you go shopping? Depends which store

Do you nap a lot? Never.

Who was the last person you hugged? my guy friend

What’s for dinner? An Amy’s microwave dinner. They are delicious!

What was the last thing you bought? A Florentine wooden tray (actually brought back by the shopowner from Italy!)

What are you listening to right now? Slow Club (thanks to the Lays potato chips commercial)

What is your favorite weather? I love weather warm and sunny enough to get me on the lake and better yet, in it. But if I can’t get in a bathing suit, I love 70 degrees with a nice breeze.

What’s on your bedside table? mini speakers, concordance, PB picture frame

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? Oooooh, this question is too difficult to answer. Part of me wants to be near family of course, but the other says Southern California (lovely weather and not very humid). Either way, I would want a home on a lake – perhaps Craftsman-like with partial stone exterior. Maybe some cedar shake siding, too. It would certainly have exposed beams and a number of other things that remind me of Grandma’s. It would be inviting, full of character - not rustic but more casually elegant. Fresh flowers always, within walking distance to a cute town with fantastic flea and farmers markets.

Favorite vacation spot? Branson, Missouri. I know what you’re thinking, but Table Rock Lake is amazing, and it’s the one place I don’t mind eating at the same restaurants over and over again. Now I’m in the mood for frozen custard, and I miss my friends.

Name the things you can’t live without: Jesus Christ dwelling in me, my family and friends, delicious food, décor magazines, Arm & Hammer baking soda toothpaste, peanut butter

What would you like to have in your hands right now? It’s about to be my Bible for an evening quiet time.

What is your favorite tea flavor? I’m not a tea drinker, but I once almost enjoyed a peach truffle tea at the Willard. And I would pretend to like tea again if it meant going back to Crown & Crumpet in San Francisco.

What is your favorite book? Currently my favorite book is “Secrets of the Secret Place”. It’s wonderful.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Grandma’s house

What did you want to become as a child? Many things, but the things that seemed to stick the longest were: mom, teacher, interior designer.

What is your favorite sport to play? Waterskiing, but you don’t exactly “play” that. So I’ll go with golf, but I’d like to get back into tennis.

What was your favorite concert you attended? U2 – which reminds me that tickets just went on sale for their next tour!!

What is your favorite flower? Currently – French tulips

What are the top three things you must have in your carry on? Magazine, iPod, sunglasses

Pretty Breaks

I've decided that I can handle 12 hour days, as long as I can take Pretty Breaks.

Pretty Breaks are quick peeks at some of my favorite blogs in the hopes of seeing something lovely and inspiring, two words which could never describe my place of occupation.

And when I do, I right click save and fill up My Pictures with beautiful images. It's dawned on me recently that I should share these pretty things with you, because it's looking pretty drab around this website, too. So I think my new goal for April will be prettying up this blog, if only by posting a few nice things to look at every now and then.

What I'd really like to do is get a completely different layout. But I'm so non-tech savvy that I wouldn't have the first clue about how to create one for myself that I actually liked. I want it to look Spring-y around here, maybe a little feminine. What I'd really love is a beautiful picture of cherry blossoms on the Mall and a soft colored back drop. If you can lend a hand in making this happen, please let me know. My non-spending month is just about over, you know, so I may consider actually paying for a change.

Uneaten Cookies

Does anyone want to come over and help me polish off my Girl Scout cookies? If you can believe it, I've eaten about five cookies, out of THREE boxes in the past few weeks. I just feel too guilty to indulge. I'm amazed at my own self-control really. I mean, we're talking Girl Scout cookies! I'm afraid they'll actually go bad before I finish them. Yet when given the opportunity to take them over to a gathering of friends, I get selfish, not wanting to share. Because once they're gone, they're gone. And that is probably the real reason I won't eat them. I'm afraid of using them up. It's like my favorite pair of shoes. I won't wear them, because I don't want to wear them out.

Ridiculous, I know. But if you came for a visit, I would definitely share.

Have you finished yours yet? If so, you may need to make your own. I found a couple of recipes over at Baked Perfection, and although I haven't tried them myself, I'm going to take this girl's word for it. I'll just file them away until my cookies go bad and try to recreate the deliciousness in my own kitchen.

Which are your favorite? Samoas? Thin Mints? I'm hoping she'll post a recipe for Tagalongs next. Mmmm. Maybe I'll have just one before bed.

I Love . .

-Caribbean popsicles from Trader Joe's (Caribbean = strawberry-coconut-pineapple)
-cherry blossom season
-Reeses peanut butter eggs
-basketball playoffs
-helping a friend decorate her apartment

Oh, and this:
The picture doesn't do it justice. It looks kind of cheap here, but that's the problem. It's not. I've promised myself I wouldn't buy anything this month (other than food). Nothing. Which is harder than it sounds. Because that means no books, no nail polish, no magazines, no nothing. You try it and see how it goes. And the only thing more fun than bringing home something cute is saving the money and watching your credit card debt disappear. I'm so close, I can taste it. A few months of denying myself will be more than worth it. Not buying makes you realize what you already know is true - true happiness isn't found in things.

Busy Days, Relaxing Nights

"Girl, you're gonna have your hands full," said my new colleague.

I've got twelve hours under my belt in the new position, and so far so . . stressful. Kidding. A little.

I'm not trying to be overly dramatic here. I can be, but I'm not. The busyness is a welcome change to the boredom I've had for the past few weeks. This gig will be a good challenge for me, and I know I'll learn a lot. It's so much different than anything I've done before, and to be honest, I'm still surprised that I even want to do it. We'll see if I'm still saying that in a couple weeks.

The hours will be longer, which is fine. I already feel as though there aren't enough hours in an evening, but perhaps this will give me a new perspective. I've savored the past two evenings, soaking up time with people I love, spending time with my Father, and re-charging my batteries.

I caught up on my favorite night-time drama, "Friday Night Lights", with the girls last night, laughing, sharing sushi, and enjoying a dessert of ice cream sandwich bites covered in berries and whipped cream.

Tonight I baby-sat the little girls I love. We ate moist, delicious two-layer chocolate cake and played with each others' hair.

I feel so blessed.

I Want Brillliant Baubles!

Courtesy: J. Crew

You Never Know

Never say never. But I said it again. When I saw her in the hallway and gave her sympathetic eyes knowing the long hours she was putting in and how hard he was to work for, I said, "I could never do that job".

And then my boss recommended me for it, said I'd be great. I heard him saying nice things about me behind his closed door. He called me in and asked if I'd consider it, moving to a new office, working for a new boss.

I'll find out tomorrow if I get it. My "interview" went well today, and they already said they want me, but it depends on which position is the priority to fill. It was supposed to be temporary, but they're talking permanent. My colleagues say I have to take it, it's too good of a career move, and besides I "never get flustered", and I can handle working for him. Ha, try never show I'm flustered. "Some are worried he'll chew you up and spit you out," my boss said. "But I told them you're tougher than you look."

I know he's right . . but I hope he's right.

Bottom line: Philippians 4:13

Burn and Consume

Oh 60 degrees, are you really going to leave me for another 10 days? Today was so lovely that I'm not sure I can bear to see you go. I only wish I'd spent more time enjoying you today.

Instead of getting outside, I agreed to hit the kickboxing class with a friend. We earned every bit of the queso and Salvadorian food we devoured afterward at Guapo's, too. How does this sound?: a roasted half chicken marinated in Acapulco style sauce, covered with sauteed onions, green peppers, and tomatoes. Oh it was every bit as good as it sounds. And full does not even begin to describe how I feel right now.

On top of tonight's delicious meal, I also tried another new spot this weekend for sushi. Lotus was more of a lounge than a restaurant, but the limited food selection was delicious. I went with a standard rainbow roll, but was able to try out some deep-fried roll ordered by a friend. To be honest, it tasted more like a corndog than raw fish. Once the techno came on, we left for the more casual setting of an Irish pub.

Meanwhile, I kept an eye on the Madness all weekend. I made enchiladas and chocolate chip cookies for the gang on Friday night and watched most of my picks advance, but yesterday and today I've become pretty confident that I won't be winning either of the pools I'm in. At this point, I'd rather lose and watch the Big 12 continue to play well. My brackets don't show too much confidence in my conference, but I hope MO, KS, and OK show the Big East and the ACC that they're not the only ones that can ball. :)

HAPPY SPRING!

I am so happy that greener grass, warmer temperatures, and pretty flowers are on their way!

I’ve been daydreaming about baseball games, runs along the Mall, walks through my favorite neighborhoods, dinners outside, and freshly-painted toenails.

What about you?

Spring is On Its Way

It’s crazy to think that just three years ago, I was living in a new San Diego apartment, just two miles from the beach in Del Mar. And three years ago to the day, I took a jog along that beautiful beach.

There aren’t any beaches within walking distance here, but today I took a jog to the Lincoln Memorial and then past the Arlington Cemetery. It was my second trip to the Memorial today. Only two blocks from my office, I went and sat on its steps in the sunlight with all the tourists this afternoon. The weather was perfection. It may not be San Diego, but I love it here, and I can’t wait for Spring to come and stick around for awhile.

Treat Yourself

Get some. I did.

But I still can't get the Tagalong ice cream from last year out of my head . I didn't spot it at the store. Has anyone seen it this year?

"Shoe Bling"

Although at times creative, I wouldn’t consider myself a “crafty” person, not by any stretch of the imagination. The extent of my DIY interests would be the re-painting of furniture or replacement of knobs – anything relatively simple that doesn’t require a lot of patience. But I may have stumbled upon an idea that could fit nicely into that box. My friend over at In the Tweeds adapted a little project from Martha Stewart that has me quite inspired. I’m betting your crafty juices might begin flowing after reading her post, too.

Measuring Productivity

For the past two weeks, I have had little to nothing to do at work. We're in a bit of a holding place right now, and I'm worried that once things begin to pick up again, I'm going to be all, "What?!, you mean I don't have time to read the ENTIRE Wall Street Journal anymore??" So lately, productivity has been measured on a different scale. And so, I think I could actually consider today to be very productive.

Here are just a few things I did:

- Advised my friend as to which airport she should fly into when visiting me next month

- Paid a few bills

- Learned of a potential replacement for domino and Cottage Living lovers – Canadian House & Home

- Filled out my March Madness bracket, while researching nearly every team before making my picks

- Looked into tennis and photography lessons in the area

- Collected several new recipes online

- Discovered a site full of recommended Biblical commentaries (I’m currently studying 1 Corinthians and 1 Peter)

- Found out about the future of bakeries: bundt cakes

See? Totally productive.

Relaxing Weekend

This weekend was just the slowdown I needed, filled with the following indulgences:

- Gifford’s coconut ice cream with hot fudge

- an Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea movie marathon

- waffles and eggs at the Silver Diner

The Anne movies are only the best movies of all time, hands-down. Sweet, funny, and the perfect kind of romantic. I like to call it “realistic romance”, which is actually more romantic than all that fantasyland crap – which I can’t say I never indulge in. If you hate people that add their own soundtrack, then you should never watch this movie with me. I will squeal, and sigh, and gasp through the whole thing even though I know what’s coming. I’ve loved this movie for over 15 years. Still dying to visit Prince Edward Island.

Punish, er tax the rich!

This, my friends, is why I have such a hard time swallowing Obama's agenda. His plan is to not just raise taxes on "the rich" in the middle of a recession, but to punish them for their wealth. Just take a look at his budget, explained well in this WSJ article.

*One example of punishing investment: A relative of mine recently purchased a very expensive home, encouraged to do so because of the mortgage interest deduction he would receive. (I'm sure the builder was grateful for this purchase given the fact that it had been sitting on the lot for many months.) He also regularly gives a sizable percentage of his income in charitable donations. President Obama plans to dramatically reduce both mortgage interest and charitable donation deductions. My relative said he would not have purchased that home had he known about the reduction. Of course he'll continue to give to charity, but giving more money to the government means he won't have as much to give away. He certainly won't be making any big purchases, stimulating the economy, anytime soon.

It seems ironic to me that President Obama is so concerned for those who are less fortunate and wants to decide which "charities" our taxpayer money should go toward, when a look at his public record of giving shows that he hasn't indicated the same compassion in his personal life. It's quite something to learn that my parents, who make a tiny fraction of Obama's salary (which in 2005 was $1.7 million), gave a FAR greater percentage of their income to charity. Biden isn't even on the radar screen. But then again, he's the "poorest" Senator in Congress, and he only made $319,000 in 2006. Our last VP gave 77% of his income to charity one year! Unbelievable.

You may also want to check out this ABC News story about upper-income taxpayers now finding a way to side-step Obama's tax hike plan - as in trying to lower their incomes! And here's another fantastic piece: "Why Make $300,000 When $250,000 is So Much More?"

One woman in the above piece is quoted as saying, “The motivation for a lot of people like me – dentists, entrepreneurs, lawyers – is that the more you work the more money you make, but if I’m going to be working just to give it back to the government — it’s de-motivating and demoralizing.”

*shakes head in disbelief*

Tonight

Perfect evening = Chik-fil-A, TCBY white chocolate fro-yo, Thin Mints crumbled on top, the new J. Crew catalog, and The Office.

(And Grey's.)

Can I tell you how many times I've driven 3 miles to TCBY only to learn they were closed for the night? The last time I had their fro-yo was forever ago in Omaha. Best Friend introduced me to the white chocolate flavor. She always orders it with cookie dough chunks mixed in. Except tonight. She called to let me know she'd gone with golden vanilla instead. She's back in Omaha for a visit, and I wish I could've been there eating my fro-yo with her.

Over a week ago, she called with news just a bit more exciting than TCBY. Best Friend is having a baby! I'm already an aunt to my brother's son and daughter, but now that BF is expecting, I'll get to be an AUNTIE (that's AWN-TEE up in the Shire). :) I imagine this is what it will feel like when I discover my sister is pregnant someday (hopefully a long time from now - Enjoy young married life, Sister!). There's something very special about having your closest friend carry a child.

Get Married, Plant Trees

This article about a new law in Indonesia cracked me up this morning.

Weekend Update

Some weekends it’s nice to have nothing planned - to sit on the couch in your jammies all day reveling in unproductivity. This was NOT one of those weekends!

Last Monday I returned from Seattle to temps in the 20s and snow on the ground. The city must’ve been determined to win me back over, because this weekend our temps hit 80! And my weekend was an eventful attempt to take advantage of the warm weather.

On Friday evening, KC and I whipped up an easy dinner for 9 of sloppy joes, salad, fries, and cornbread. We played a little Apples to Apples with our large group before heading out for a looong night of country line dancing.

The next morning, I awoke early with just enough time to throw on my golf gear and grab my clubs for a run by Chik-fil-A for chicken biscuits and 18 holes on a hilly course in Maryland with KC, Georgia, and (another good guy friend) Reno.

Just as KC was dropping me back at home, another friend pulled up to drive us out to Fredericksburg to visit the boating boys. I threw my overnight things in a bag, and an hour and a half later we were enjoying a night around the firepit in their woodsy backyard. S’mores were definitely involved.

After the neighborhood brunch buffet on Sunday morning, the four of us drove even further into the country where a secluded rock quarry on private property gave us plenty of room and an abundance of targets at which to shoot the boys’ handgun, AK-47 and AR-15. What a rush to blow stuff up. :)

I've posted a video here.

Completely exhausted from too few hours of sleep, I still chose to watch the Duke/UNC game with friends that afternoon and have a pleasant dinner outside with The Girl. I returned to the boys’ apartment for dessert before finally forcing myself to hit the sack! Eight and a half hours was heavenly.

I’m hoping next weekend will be chill enough to provide a recovery from this one.

I definitely have full-blown spring fever now, and I’ve already begun thinking about my summer entertainment. Here’s a preview.

The Seattle Download

I'm going to take a deep breath right now, close my eyes, and remember how great Seattle was this past weekend. People, I am so over sharing an apartment with three other girls! And the main reason I'm so fed up? the kitchen. How hard is it to remember that other people use the fridge, too?, so you can't stock up at Costco or buy ten apples and ten oranges. You also might want to consider wiping off the counters or putting dirty dishes in the empty dishwasher. I am no neat freak, but the frustration is about to bring tears.

Again, back to thoughts of Seattle. It was lovely, just as it was last month, only moreso because I was able to spend five nights and four whole days there! And K was a fantastic hostess!

Once again, I booked a room at the Westin downtown. Their rooms are spacious, lovely, and of course come with a King-size Heavenly Bed. Rather than a view of Puget Sound (and ahem, The Texan's obnoxiously tall office building), I asked for a view of the Space Needle. I made quite a few two-block trips to Pike Place Market in my free time, perused the lovely handmade items, and even caught a fish. Oh, and oops, looks like I fell into Urban Outfitters, too.Dinners alone included a trip back to that outrageously expensive steakhouse (for the grilled sirloin salad and a slice of white chocolate coconut cake) where the doorman and bartenders were so nice, and a meal at an upscale diner where the chefs gave me $30 of free appetizers (caviar pie and house cured beef bresaola) before I ordered the black cod with baby bok choy and chocolate pecan pie a la mode. *Closing eyes and remembering how delicious that was.*
By Friday evening, I was completely free from any work responsibilities, so K and I met up, along with her young male friend (who I was so stoked to meet since she's written about him) for a happy hour full of seafood and beer at Ivar's on the waterfront. It was then that she laid out the tentative weekend plan . . and it was good.

That next morning, we grabbed some donuts at Top Pot and headed to Mount Rainier for a day of snowshoeing. I would imagine that many might initially find the idea of snowshoeing dull and unexciting, but it was definitely one of the coolest things I've ever done. Contrary to fresh powder slopes packed with skiers, the snowshoeing experience took us up the mountain to a place so quiet, I was sure we were the only ones for miles. Surrounded by blindingly white snow and gorgeous peaks off in the distance, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of it all. Are you convinced yet?

The only bummer was not being able to see the top of Rainier. As we got closer to the mountain, a nice big cloud of fog settled over the top. Guess there's always next time. :)

That evening, we had a delicious dinner in Ballard and ended the evening with a drink at an urban-y bar. Due to the donuts that morning, I had opted out of dessert after dinner . . but someone just happened to leave their birthday cake behind at the bar, and you know me, not wasteful when it comes to food.
My last day *tear* was Sunday, and we got up just in time to make it to Mars Hill for church. I listen to their sermons online quite a bit, and I only loved it even more live. The rain began as we walked back through Ballard, stopping at the Lock.spot for salmon chowder and halibut and chips. Fantastic!

I'll spare you all the pictures, but we also walked down to The Locks, where boats pass between Lake Union and Puget Sound without mixing fresh water with salt water. The rest of our busy day was filled with seeing the Troll, the Gasworks (with a great view of Lake Union and the skyline), the Ballard Farmer's Market, and a few other neighborhoods in town.

And that last night in Seattle ended with this:
I had such a fun time with K, and I can't thank her enough for being so hospitable and spending her entire weekend with me.

Oh and K? I am totally craving pb & banana on toast right now.

Portland again

Check out these pictures of the trendy hotel I stayed in during a quick trip to Portland this week. Imagine: turquoise velvet chaise lounge. I loved it!

I needed a little posh in that grungy city! I suppose fashion doesn't matter, but caring about your appearance should. It's not evident that anyone there does.

I checked out a new neighborhood this time - Nob Hill, named after the famous area in San Fran, though not nearly as cute. Still, I did snag a cute dress at one of the boutiques. And I enjoyed a delicious "sloppy-jo" at Jo Bar & Rotisserie.

The highlight of my trip was the post-event trip to the Nike ES (employee store). Bank! Let's just say I was a little embarrassed when my boss saw how full my shopping cart was - although I only left with seven items. I'm certainly set with cute workout clothes for all seasons. No more old t-shirts at the gym for me!

Twenty-four hours in Portland was enough for me. I flew up to Seattle as soon as I could. I was expecting rain but got wind and cold temperatures, which in my opinion is worse! Still, it's not stopping me from loving it here. It just gives me an excuse to come back for warmer weather.

One more meeting tomorrow, and my work week will be over. I'm staying around all weekend, and I get to hang out with K! I can't wait!

Wasabi-Man

KC and I found a delicious new sushi place this weekend, and on top of all the yummy sushi, the presentation was so fun! See Wasabi-man in there? He made our night. We spent the rest of the evening coming up with ideas for a Japanese cartoon based solely off of food. The villain would of course be a dragon, and Wasabi-man's friend would be Sasha Sashimi. You'd have Smoky the Salmon and . . . oh my gosh, we are ridiculous.

Cute Lunch

Ever had a cute lunch before? I'm sure you have.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I had one myself with Friend (or Girl) down in Old To.wn Alexandria. Girl suggested we take advantage of the lovely day that it was and go grab brunch in her favorite neighborhood.

We snagged one of two tables outside Bread & Chocolate, ordered delicious food, and watched all the adorable dogs go by on their walks. Girl announced "I feel like we're in Europe. Let's just pretend we are. We're in Europe", so I just went along with it, although I've never actually been myself. :)

Of course Europe and Alexandria aren't the only places one can have a cute lunch. Some of my favorites have been in places like Fort Lauderdale, San Diego, Sausalito, and Chicago.

What about you?

p.s. Yes, that french toast was every bit as good as it looks.

Restaurant Week

My roommate Lyn and I took advantage of Restaurant Week in D.C. tonight by visiting Hook for dinner.

Mmmmm. Three courses of deliciousness.

Appetizer: Grilled calamari, potato salad (completely mashed), basil walnut pesto

Main course: Bluefish, polenta, heirloom carrots, basil pesto

Dessert: nutella ice cream, chocolate hazelnut torte (and a bittersweet chocolate pudding pie)

It was all even better than it sounds. Especially the dessert. Definitely a new favorite restaurant of mine. Loved the simple modern decor, too.

Friend Can Decorate!

I've mentioned Co-worker/Friend (very original, I know) on this blog several times before, and last year the "co-worker" part of the title was dropped when I moved on to my new job. But we're still very much Friends, capital F, and I semi-recently learned that she, too, was keeping up a blog of her own: Girls Like Cars Too.

She shares my love for decor and estate sale shopping, so imagine my envy when she was able to purchase her first home and have a space to decorate! Lately she's been featuring her home on her blog, so click over and take a look at how cute it is!

Nothing like the Great Depression

I'm sure many of you are uninterested in my political chatter recently, but for those of you who are, here is a great Wall Street Journal article by an economics professor that compares statistics from our current economic crisis to the Great Depression. A comparison is being made by the President, but as you'll see from the statistics, this recession doesn't even come close, nor is it projected to.

baking, a band, and a brunch

I'm fine as the third wheel, maybe even the fifth, but the seventh wheel can be a pretty uncomfortable spot. And that was me last night. Even so, the cover band we saw was fantastic, and I still danced crazily and sang loudly through three long sets. It might not have felt strange at all, but my friends in the situation were the guys, not the girls - although I'd met them all before. I cut out a bit early and grabbed a greasy slice of pizza that I ate on my walk to the parking garage.

That day I'd spent hours baking with Em, a completely satisfying Saturday filled with heart-shaped treats. We loved dipping the Rice Krispie treats in butterscotch/chocolate sauce and cutting hearts in the cookie dough brownies, but halfway through the sugar cookie endeavor, we looked at each other with tired eyes and said, "Are you exhausted, too? Let's dump the rest of this dough."

Of course dumping the dough was a silly idea. I put it in the fridge instead. The dough is much better than the cookie anyway. We topped a few with strawberry frosting and looked at the incredible mess we'd made. Rolling dough is a messy and draining experience. Baking the sugar cookies just right is nearly impossible! Not something I'll be doing again anytime soon, but totally worth the smiles on the faces of my friends, especially the cute little 4-year-old boy. And the dog.

This morning after church, I had my first dim sum experience. Delicious! And I joined a group of friends for a Daytona 500 watch party. I cheered for Kenseth, and he won! I never would've thought it, but I might be able to get into this whole NASCAR thing.

I hope your weekends were as wonderful as mine . .

Talk about politicizing a national crisis

RAHM EMANUEL: "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. What I mean by that is it's an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before."

What Rahm is saying is that now that we're in a crisis and Democrats have such a great majority, they can convince people to spend nearly a trillion dollars on things they couldn't get passed before. This is an opportunity to pay back left-wing friends and help ensure another victory in 2012.

I am so upset that my hard-earned money is going to all the crap in this bill.

"President Obama's economic recovery package will actually hurt the economy more in the long run than if he were to do nothing, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday. CBO, the official scorekeepers for legislation, said the House and Senate bills will help in the short term but result in so much government debt that within a few years they would crowd out private investment, actually leading to a lower Gross Domestic Product over the next 10 years than if the government had done nothing."

Gah!!!!!!!

*Another great article.

Heart-Shaped

Happy Valentine's Day, Blog Friends! I hope, if nothing else, you enjoy a few cinnamon candies (my favorites) or those chalky heart ones. (Does anyone actually like those?)

I'm house-sitting this three-day weekend, and there's not much planned. I love it that way! It's so nice to go with the flow for once. The only thing on my agenda is to bake a bunch of heart-shaped treats today. I've been dying to all week. Maybe it's the fact that I have a kitchen all to myself, or maybe I subconsciously wanted to do something you couldn't hurry, something slow and precise. We'll see how everything turns out.

For now, I'm off to the gym so I can earn the right to snitch a little dough.

Another Distraction

Oh my gosh, here I sit on the couch again in my completely un-sweaty workout clothes. Once again, I didn't make it to the gym. In driving twenty minutes to get some on-hold copper heart-shaped cookie cutters, I got a little bit lost - on the roads . . and in Anthropologie. Oops.

I'm gettin' fat, but my new purse is real pretty.

To Burn or to Consume

I've been trying to go a little easier on myself lately, not packing as much in on the weeknights. Including exercise.

Tonight I got into my workout gear while chatting over speakerphone. I was ready to sweat for the first time in over two weeks!

But the conversation went a little long, and I ended up on the couch (still in workout clothes) with a pint of Gifford's and Elle Decor. I accidentally ate over half the pint.

Suddenly I feel like working out. But it's time for bed. Ack! There is a reason I never buy sweets!

The Grammys

Instead of getting to the gym for the first time in 2 weeks, I chose to sit down and watch the Grammy's last night. And I'm so glad I did. I loved nearly every performance, minus Katy Perry's. I had to put it on mute so I didn't start to sing along. So catchy that song!

Just when I thought it wasn't possible to love Coldplay more, a new spring of adoration burst from within me. I have every single song they've ever recorded – which is nearly 80. And Radiohead? That is the one redeeming quality about The Kansan – he introduced me to them, and it was so worth putting up with his cheesiness for a few months.

I don't care that the gunfire is a bit creepy in "Paper Planes", I love that song and can't listen to it without doing the hand motions. I thoroughly enjoyed the collaboration between Jay-Z, T.I., Kanye, and . . LIL' WAYNE. I am newly obsessed with this rapper and gansta, many thanks to my cousin who appears to be rubbing off on me. The reason I stayed up until 2:30am on Saturday? researching Lil' Wayne, watching his interview with Katie Couric when she asked about the prescription cough syrup he was addicted to and all the weed he smoked, and reading his tattoos – the prayer on his back and the "I Am Music" over his right eyebrow. And then I made my roommate stay up as I spit out all the random facts I'd just absorbed.

". . wow . . . that is more than I ever wanted to know about Lil' Wayne."

He really is extremely talented. I just wish his music wasn't so vulgar and full of expletives. The beats, his voice . . amazing.

And let me end by commenting on the beginning. U2. How excited am I that they're coming out with a new cd?! New cd means another tour! I certainly shouldn't break my streak by missing this one.

Wonderful Uncle

My dad handed the phone to my uncle so I could wish him a happy birthday. And, knowing he had to get back to his dinner, he said "Tell me in two sentences what is going on in your heart" (referring to my relationship with Jesus). He asked about me on his birthday. I want to be more like him, because he is so full of Christ.

And now I'm going to grab some ice cream out of my freezer and celebrate the day he was born. He is such a blessing to so many!

Politics

Do you know how hard it is for me to not turn this into a political blog right now?????

HARD. I've been wanting to write about politics every day for the past three weeks.

I truly want our President to succeed, and I am more than willing to give him credit for positive things he does. For example: He made Pelosi get rid of hundreds of millions for contraceptives in the stimulus package. Thank you, Mr. President.

I will never speak ill of our President, because I think it is disrespectful and wrong. The way President Bush was treated and is still spoken of makes me cringe. People should be ashamed of themselves.

However, I can respectfully disagree. And right now, there are about ten things off the top of my head that I vehemently disagree with him on.

I'm disappointed. I was hoping I wouldn't feel this way. At least not so soon.

My current, at-this-very-moment frustration lies with the pork-filled stimulus package that promises to create 4 million jobs. I'm right now listening to him talk, not about hope, but about a fearful future for our country . . unless we pass this bill, of course. This bill is MUCH bigger than anything passed under a FDR administration. We're amassing a HUGE debt that we'll be paying for for the rest of our lives. There is no bipartisan support for this bill, either. I wanted to see some bipartisanship here, but not even every Democrat voted for this in the House. It includes so much spending on government programs, including government's own infrastructure. I'm sure that guy that used to work at Pfizer wants to go get a job in construction, working on a federal building no less. What a disaster! I encourage you to download the 700 page bill and read it. You'll be amazed at what is in there!

This is not an attempt to begin a debate with any of my readers. I love discussing politics, but I probably won't have enough time to respond to a bunch of comments. Although, you're more than welcome to leave them. I just needed to vent a little. There's a lot more where that came from!

*Here's a great piece on the bill.
*Here's a case study on education spending (one type of spending included in the bill).

There is no place like Nebraska

According to a U.S. News and World Report analysis, the University of Nebraska was third on a list of most popular national colleges this year, right after Harvard and BYU. Popular in that, of those admitted, a very high percent chose to enroll. For UNL, that percentage was 71%.

Just a random fact I'm sure you could care less about. :)

Snapshots from Arizona

Can you find me in this picture from the Phoenix Open? Here's a hint: I'm wearing two hats.
This one didn't make the Facebook cut. Something about Crown Royal, beer, and the word "party" seems to send the wrong message. That and the fact that I chose to wear not one, but two hats on my head, plus sunglasses. I added a third later. But I enjoyed the event completely sober.
And then I satisfied my craving for a little In 'n Out after the tournament.
On my trip to Sedona, I stopped at a "gallery" - whatever that means. Here are the chilis I mentioned. That's a lot of chilis!
I pulled over about 252 times to take pictures, but the coolest view was probably from the highest point in town.
Again - Suns game, way better than Wizards. Sorry Washington.
Here comes the sun and another 75 degree day.
I loved the Basilica one block from my hotel.

Oh Arizona, I may have to make this winter trip an annual thing.

Today I experienced . .

. . a FIFTY degree change in temperature. I want to go back to Phoenix!!

No Fear Here

I love public speaking!

It's true that I was nervous today leading up to my presentation. So nervous, in fact, that I called my mother, and she had to pray for me over the phone. She is so good at that. Suddenly I realized that although I knew I was capable of doing well, I was focusing on my fear that somehow I'd mess it up. And if I did, what would people think?

I was afraid of what people thought of me, most of them people I didn't even know.

I knew that this was an opportunity to become more comfortable doing something that I already know I enjoy. I enjoyed it in college, have loved giving toasts at weddings, and hoped I'd soon be able to speak publicly again. I didn't even flinch when my boss asked me to speak.

Yet, there I was letting fear control my life. WHAT?!

But when I changed my focus to the Lord - knowing that He was going with me, standing beside me, being my "invisible friend" - my nervousness turned to excitement. Of course I was going to do well! Not only did I know what I was talking about, I knew that God had given me a gift. If I felt nervous, it would only be because my focus was on my fear.

And "No fear exists where His love is. Rather, perfect love gets rid of fear, because fear involves punishment. The person who lives in fear doesn't have perfect love." (I John 4:18)

Well, His love exists here. I know it personally. So I told fear to go away.

And I rocked that speech. Pretty sure I got more applause than anyone else. :) And my colleagues later said they could tell I was so comfortable up there.

Moral of the story: God is good.

(And Mom is really wise from knowing Him for so long.)

Adventure #3 in AZ

I suppose going to a professional basketball game can't really be called an adventure, but it was a lot of fun. I had planned to spend an evening holed up in my hotel room watching the Bachelor, but when my Canadian colleagues mentioned a Suns game, plans changed.

It was a lovely night, perfect for a short walk to the arena in short sleeves and jeans. We stopped for a cheap slice of pizza and turned down a scalper trying to sell tix for cheap. Stupid us. Once we reached the box office, the nose bleeds were pricing at double the scalper's cost. But we paid it anyway. And it was totally worth it.

I've been to two pro basketball games before - both at the Verizon Center - and neither were as entertaining as this one. Everything from the Golden Grannies (hip hop dancing old ladies) to the talented Suns dancers (who put the Wizard girls to shame) was fun to watch. And the game was excellent, too. And unlike the Verizon, this venue played music while the game was going. I would imagine this keeps both the audience and the players pumped up. It certainly worked. The audience was cheering loudly, and the Suns beat the Kings by almost 50 points.

On the walk back, I had the pleasure of introducing my Canadian friends to a treat I knew they'd never forget - Cold Stone Creamery.

As we took our last licks on the outdoor bench, one of them said,

"I don't know how tonight could've been better. I could die happy now."

Another Adventure

Sedona was just as gorgeous as I had heard. I woke up bright and early this morning for the two-hour drive, which included a stop at McD's for a yummy McGriddle (the only time I allow myself is when traveling).

Stopping at the visitor's center was the right decision, as the man behind the counter handed me a map and highlighted all the routes to take and stops to make. At nearly every scenic point, I pulled over to snap a picture with Tim (my dSLR). Tim has been "in the shop" for the past few weeks (thanks to an accidental drop by me), so it felt good to have him back. One of my favorite stops was not at a scenic point, but a gallery - one chock full of unique pieces of art - handmade rugs, pottery, crosses, bowls, signs, jewelry, and even rows of chilis and a room full of cacti. And it was all lovely. I think I spent an hour walking through, yet left empty-handed. Everything I liked seemed either too pricey or too impractical. If I'm going to buy something pretty, I need a place to put it.

I pulled over for lunch at a little cafe, ordering the corn chowder and vegetable quesadilla. I had to go Southwestern with my food, of course! Ice cream was also soon to follow.

Being alone wasn't quite so bad. At times I'd turn the radio off and just have quiet time admiring the beauty outside. When I did want music, it was the Christian station, the only one to come in clear - perfect!

I feel so blessed to have had these past two days in Arizona. Now I need to get rested up and geared up for the work week ahead. In just three days, I'll give my first presentation to a large audience. Wish me luck or PRAY FOR ME! :)

Adventures in Arizona

Here I am again on another trip . . alone. I love turning business into pleasure by tacking on a day or two of fun. Just as I did when traveling to L.A. last fall, I came out to Phoenix two days early to enjoy the warm weather and have some new experiences. Great deals on a hotel and rental car were found through Priceline, and both could not have been better. Not only was my hotel room nice, big, and accompanied with a delicious breakfast, but I got the very car I wanted to rent - a Pontiac G6.

So I stayed in Scottsdale last night, right next door to the TPC golf course, home of the annual FBR Open, the most "happening" golf tournament on the PGA Tour. I secured my spot in the grand stand this morning, second row at the tee box of the infamous 16th hole. This hole is known for being the only spot in the entire tour that many professional golfers get a little bit nervous. Nervous because the response from the crowd is one that is forbidden at all other tournaments. The hundreds in the stands and skyboxes won't simply clap politely once the club has been swung. Instead, each golfer's swing is met with either encouraging cheers or discouraging boos. And as the golfer walks away, he'll be heckled until he tips his hat to acknowledge the masses. "Rowdy" is almost an understatement at the 16th hole.

And that is where I was today. Cheering and booing (although never too loudly *smile*) along with the others. My good D.C. friend Em, a San Diego native, had flown in separately to spend the day with her 16th hole veteran friends, and I was glad to not have to attend alone. The weather was hot, a welcome jump in temperature from D.C. at 77 degrees, and we basked in the sun's warmth, finding an empty place in the grass to lay down. After a seven-hour stay, I was tired of the crowds and ready to go, but it's an event I'd definitely come back to in the future.

Em and I parted ways, and I spent the rest of the evening at Fashion Square (big surprise), but not before a drive through In 'n Out.

Sedona is on the agenda for tomorrow - a bit of a road trip, but I'm excited to see a new place.