May 16 - Sister update - Including a special guest!!

Sarah

Last week:

• This was the week of pre-trip errands - most importantly to find new jeans for Oliver. We threw out his last two pairs once the holes in the knees were big enough to fit his whole leg through, and unfortunately discovered Target was no longer selling his favorite kind (Shaun White brand skinny jeans). So we went on a hunt - every store/brand every type of skinny jean and none of them were skinny enough. Or else those that were weren't the right color or didn't have the adjustable waist and were too big around for him. So plan B - try girls jeans - back to every store to find skinny jeans with no flowers/sequins/frills. Jackpot back at Target with their Cherokee brand. Shhhh don't tell anyone they are girls jeans. He's actually quite enjoying the extra stretch.
• Finished cutting out the dead wood from the roses out back. Buds are forming. I'm sad I will miss the great blooming while we are away. I think I'll miss the blooming of the dogwood tree too. This happened last year too - we need to stop planning trips for the first week of June.
• Made major progress on my work project. Need to do more this week and demo to my boss before we leave.
• Brenden's first baseball game!
• Cub scouts committee meeting. Rooftop planning meeting. Sharing time lesson. Tons of laundry. Ate out too much.
  

I really need to accomplish a lot this week before our trip. Inefficiency or disorganization is not an option.

• Knitting store - get supplies for George's stocking
• Tailor - drop off 2 pairs of Scott's pants and one pair of my jeans for a hem
• Plant window boxes and vegetable garden
• Update blog
• Finish (?!) and demo work project
• Mountains of laundry
• Transfer all the supplies and responsibilities for the June 3 rooftop show
• Pack!

Annee

Last Week:
I feel like this was another banner week where I accomplished the goals that I aspired to last week. Sometimes goal setting really works!

1. All four kids practiced five times by Saturday afternoon! There was an incentive. If EVERYONE would meet the five-time goal, as a family we could go out to dinner on Saturday night, to their favorite restaurant. It’s Sweet Tomatoes, otherwise known to the Z’s as Souplantation. We have one in Cary. It takes about 30 minutes to get there, so we don’t go often. But the kids dream about it! It was the perfect incentive. I should use incentives more wisely.
2. I ran 5 times! It was hard because I was trying to do a lot of different things this week. Running is easy to push to the back burner when there is no specific race to train for. But since I had said to my sisters that I would run five times, I really felt like I had to do it!
3. I sewed Monday-Friday. It was epic, and awesome. In truth, I do not usually sew every single day. I usually just sew a few times a week. To sew for a few HOURS everyday, was a rare treat. I completed seven different articles of clothing for the girls (sorry boys!). They almost all worked, or will work. It was so much fun. I blogged about it daily at Made on Maple.
   
4. I did sub all day long on Friday. I am the regular sub for one of the first grade classes at our elementary school. Whenever that teacher needs to be out, she calls me. Its’ kind of cool to be so familiar with the class. It no longer feels like you are a stranger walking in to an unknown, rather, I’m a part of that classroom. The kids know me, I know them, they act excited on the days that I join them. It’s fun. I never thought I’d be an elementary school teacher. But now, sometimes I wonder...
5. The laundry is caught up!!!! I did a major clean out of the girls drawers and closets. The only things left available to them are seasonally appropriate, and in their size! I made them help me gather up all their laundry, do it all, and get it all back into place. The boys are learning to take responsibility for their laundry too. I really don’t see why I should be the only one in this house who does laundry!
   

This Week:

1. I need to keep running. Though I ran five times, they were not always quality runs. They were runs, because I said I was going to run. I hope to have a few more quality training sessions.
2. Sign all four kids up for swim team. It starts this week! I hear it’s a huge FAMILY commitment. We still have baseball going on, and Henry’s basketball session, and piano. To add on two hours of daily swim practice sounds kind of exhausting. But I REALLY believe in the value of swim team. I REALLY do. I’m just signing them up. That’s all. We do hard things around here. Get used to it kids! It ends mid-July. I can do anything for 9ish weeks! Right?!!
3. Finish some quilts! I have three in the works right now. I just started my beach quilt tonight. I still have my queen size one, and a baby one not finished. It is very clear I do not enjoy the “quilting” phase of quilting. I will conquer that hurtle this week. One of those quilts will be completely done by the end of this week.
4. I really should try to rally some enthusiasm for Beach Week Book Club 2011. I tried about three years ago to get everyone to read “Persuasion” in time to have a Beach Week discussion book night. I think no one thought I was serious. Or maybe no one had time to read, pre-beach week. Does anyone this year? A family book club is sort of my dream. Any takers? CZ, I kind of think you at least have time to read a book with me. No?
   

Ie Li

Last week:

• Preschool, swimming, story time
• Finished listening to Charlotte's Web with the kids.
• Planted basil and green beans. I am obsessed with my garden. I love to sit by my plants and stare at them.
  
• Mei Li, Mi Na and I had a girls' night with friends while the boys went camping.

Next week:

• Plant some more seeds! Why not?
• Preschool, swimming, story time
• Visit with an old friend.
• Visiting teaching
• Listen to E.B. White's Trumpet of the Swan with the kids in the car.

Rachel

Last Week:

• --I got a brand new iphone! Apparently they have an unofficial "one free swap to keep the customers happy" policy. Amazing! Downside: my apps didn't transfer correctly leading to 3 hours of re-finding and re-sorting etc.
• Worked in the office 1 day so I was able to run home 1 day. I've enjoyed Chantilly, but I am really looking forward to running home from work again. It makes me so happy.
  
• Anniversary ebelskivers on Thursday evening. 6 months, woo!
• A hugely productive weekend including pulling out the fridge, defrosting it, fixing a leak, cleaning the entire thing inside, outside and underneath, replacing the old gross microwave, finishing the bedroom photo wall, hanging the tie rack.
• Cooked a pot roast using herbs from my very own herb garden!
• Made it through 2.5 seasons of Gilmour Girls (while cleaning, organizing, cooking. Basically an audiobook substitute). Trying to finish it all in time to give the DVDs back to Sarah at beach week.
  

This Week:

• Spend more time on my hair, but in new ways. Three new hair styles is my goal. Through Pinterest, I discovered this new website Hair Romance with tons of great hair ideas. I may need to buy new bobby pins.
• Make bruschetta for enrichment on Thursday
• Test out this awesome Groupon-like website for DC restaurants called Village Vines. We're finally going to try Acqua Al 2 but for 30% off the entire bill! Excited.
• Lucketts Spring Market on Saturday!
• Work BBQ on Saturday in Chantilly. Which reminds me, why is gas still so darn expensive. The price of oil has gone down $15/barrel but gas hasn't moved. When oil goes up even $1 a barrel the next day gas prices are higher. I think there's something fishy going on...
  

Christine
(Picture may be coming later?)

Last week:

• Finished three assignments for my independent study class. That means I only have three left to do! Unfortunately I chose to do the easiest ones first, so the last three may take some more time, but still shouldn't be too bad.
• Worked, a lot. I guess compared to a real job it's really not that much, but when you add in all the driving I had to do it takes up a lot of time, leaving me feeling like I don't have time to do much else. It's also helped me realize that I really don't think I could work in retail long-term.
• Got a ticket booked for my Israel trip (thanks to mom doing all the research for it) and got all of the little details for my travels for the summer hammered out. I fly to Boston on the 24th, then down to the beach on the 28th, then Jordan on June 11, returning to DC on June 27. That means I have to be moved out of my house by the 24th. Luckily I don't have to sell a contract or anything, no one had signed for my room for the summer, so my landlord was ok with me just staying for the month of May.
• Saw Jane Eyre Friday night with Addie. I knew nothing about the story, so I was a little creeped out at times and was getting the impression that it was a scary movie, but in the end I liked it good enough.
• Had my last Sunday dinner with Wiley's and parents since they're all leaving out of town for my real last Sunday in town. Makes me pretty sad to think about leaving them, mainly I just don't really let myself think about it.

This week:

• Work 30 hours Monday-Friday.
• Try to get in some combination of yoga/riding/hiking the Y.
• Actually start packing up my room. I'm now into crunch time, and really it's not just my room, there's stuff all over this house that will need to be packed up that I'm afraid I'm ignoring. Along with packing up my room I need to decide what to pack into my suitcase that I'll be living out of for a month+, which will include time in Boston, DC, at the beach, and Israel, etc. That could be a tricky task keeping it all down to one suitcase.
• Finish two more of my assignments.
  

***********************************************
And now, introducing our special guest - Summer Little.
It's hard to write a thorough introduction to someone so near and dear to my heart. Summer and I met in 2nd-ish grade and have been BFF ever since. Which really is an understatement. I don't have hardly a single memory from elementary school and high school that does not include Summer. I firmly believe we were placed in each others lives very intentionally and specifically to help us both become the people we needed to be. You don't get many friends like that in this life so I am forever grateful.


This morning while getting ready I remembered: Summer is the person responsible for my switch from a center part to a side part which heaven knows my face needed. Summer also helped me realize how important mascara is to my color-less eye lashes and sleepy, squinty eyes. Thank heavens for friends like that, right?!


Summer naturally became a member of the family joining us frequently for sleepovers, dinners, vacations, etc. We decided to include her this week as an honorary sister. Summer lives in Georgia now with husband Travis and two kids, Finley and Nash.

When I get home I may update this with a vintage Summer and Rachel photo :-) Here's my visit to her last year.

****************************

Summer

This week:

• Went to the grocery store 4 times! I never go more than once, but the grocery store was offering a $10 dollar gas card with every $25+ purchase and I just couldn't pass it up. So, I split up my shopping list into $25 increments. Ca-razy, I know. Couponing has changed me.
• Got a car wash. Easily, one of my favorite things (especially post children).
• Sewed a pair of knit shorts for Nash from an old t-shirt. Just practicing.
• Made 8 cards and attended card swap club.
• Went strawberry picking with our little preschool group and used the strawberries to replenish our freezer jam stock.
• Hosted Activity Days at my house. This was our first meeting after splitting the girls into two groups. I now only have (9) 8-9 year olds instead of (18!) 8-11 year olds. I really appreciated the smaller number.
• Went to the Atlanta temple for the first time in almost two years!!! The Atlanta temple closed for major renovations in June 2009 and was finally rededicated on May 1, 2011. It was so fun to be able to participate in the open house and dedication festivities. I'm so grateful to have the temple within 25 minutes again!
  

Next week:

• Dance class, tennis, preschool...the usual song and dance.
• Swim team starts on Monday and runs Monday thru Friday for 6 weeks. I don't know if I am ready for the everyday commitment/struggle. Supposedly, Finley will learn how to swim?! She'll have to get in the freezing water first.
• Have someone come repair our leaking sprinkler. Boo.
• Apply WD-40 to Nash and Finley's doors. It must be done.
• Sew something. Linen pants for Nash?
• Get a haircut! First time in 9 months. I could cry.
• Exercise? Who am I kidding?
• Super, bonus points, will-never-happen goal: Clean and fill the (3) 55-gallon water drums we have for our food storage that have been sitting empty in the garage for months years. I can dream, right?
  

May 15 -DC Date night

Saturday night.

All dressed up. Waiting with drinks.

!
My favorite weekends include some time downtown.
His favorite include steak.

Can you see all those darling little Staub pans?
We love Staub.
And think we probably need all these little tiny ones to complete our collection.

Lipstick. And a frozen yogurt night cap.



And last, a PSA. Don't do this:

We stopped at Best Buy this weekend and parked next to a car with the back window rolled all the way down. Can you see what is directly inside the window? A shiny new iPhone 4. What were they thinking? That is dangerous! It started pouring shortly thereafter. I looked around inside for anyone with a toddler so I could warn them about the window but no luck. When we came out 40 minutes later the car was still there, as was the phone (and the rain), but I am worried about how the story ends.

May 14 - Scott Wiley - Producer extraordinaire

Now, I know this may embarrass him. But I can't resist posting this!!

So in January I started streaming The Mormon Channel while at work. There are only 3 hours of Dr Laura per day and Pandora channels play the same few songs over and over and I felt like I should give God more air time than NPR so I started streaming LDS radio. And much to my surprise, it's actually pretty good!

Anyway, there's a radio show called Everything Creative, where they've covered a wide variety of topics such as Mommy Bloggers and Creative Ways to Show Love (awkward), and Orchestra at Temple Square to name a few.

Imagine my surprise to hear my very own brother in law, the one and only SCOTT WILEY featured on a whole episode! As one who has listened to A LOT of MC, I can say this was a particularly great story! I may have even teared up at one part. I am so proud of him. What a great interview to have captured for posterity. Click on over to have a listen.

The upside to the humidity of NoVA - the plants thrive!

P.S. I also really enjoyed this cheerful interview with Heidi Swinton, the author of Pres Monson's biography and oh my gosh this interview with Meg Johnson had me WEEPING on my laptop, how does she stay so positive?! Actually maybe I should list all my favs in a separate post...

May 13 - This is a joke right?

Do you see that forecast? I'm not sure my plants can make it through that onslaught. I mean I know they're native to the outdoors and all but still, that's harsh!

With all the rest of blogdom I had a post up yesterday about our 6 month anniversary that has disappeared. Maybe it'll come back soon.

Today I was late to work because I ran out of gas on the way there. Lame. Also, today was Ken's last day at the US Court of Federal Claims! And this week he finished the current batch of Kaplan class teaching! Next week he begins his daily LSAT prep class during the day and won't be teaching at night. Which means for two whole blissful weeks we will get to hang out between the hours of 6-10pm without conflict of tax return or standardized test!! I am so excited.

Now if you'll excuse us, there's one last episode of Mad Men that's calling our name. :-)

May 11 - Not much to say today

Just a regular day.

Ken had a doctor's appointment at our fancy Executive Health place
through work which is basically a spa where they take your vitals and
also feed you breakfast. He came out to Chantilly and met me for
lunch, we chose Chick Fil A because people here just LOVE that place.
It was a beautiful sun-shiny day. I stopped for an eyebrow wax after
work, picked up the rest of the knobs needed for the kitchen and
watched more Gilmour Girls until Ken got home from work.

Just a very regular day!

May 10 - I'm sorry Banana...

But this pretty tiny headband is not worth $30. Can you believe it? Sad. Because it was really pretty. But only like $5-8 pretty.

We stopped by the Apple Store for FHE because 1-the map feature on my phone stalls when I need it most and I've come THIS CLOSE to chucking it out the window and 2- my computer and Ken's computer are both about to bite the dust and so he has stars in eyes about a MacBookPro or an iMac or something like that. Personally, I'd rather go to Bermuda but we'll sort that out later!!

I've started a preliminary layout for the photo wall in out bedroom. The pictures will be swapped out for gooey wedding ones and I'll add more frames and move things around a few more times, but posting a "before" now forces me to finish and post the final "after" product later.

The photos below are a bit of my inspiration...

Source: littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Source: rowboatpress.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Now that I see the two side by side, I think I should mix bigger frames into our wall and space them closer together. Can do.

Although, I also love this look below. Maybe I should be doing something like that on our wall instead?! We could easily put up black or white shelves.

Source: habituallychic.blogspot.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Did you notice that came from my Pinterest account? I can't stop pinning! It just makes so much sense. Can I follow you?

May 9 - I won!

Can you believe how lucky I am??

This gift card will make Luckett's barn sale Spring Market next weekend SO much more enjoyable!!

If you're in the area, want to come with me?

May 8 - Welcome to the No Fritter Zone

Obv, I don't mean apple fritter.

Since we've been married, Ken has developed a love/hate relationship with the word fritter. It took me a while to articulate just what I meant, but finally at the end of a Saturday full of no lists or accomplishments, I explained to Ken as I plunked down despondently on the bed, "I just really, really hate FRITTERING the day away." And thus No Fritter Zone Weekends were born.

Luckily, I heard a talk by President Monson (given at BYU, talks about the 5 "gates" of life, must find link...) where point #2 was "Don't fritter your time away. You must have a plan or life will pass you by." With the prophet on my side there's just no losing!

I don't know where it came from, but I really need a list and a plan and usually a schedule to feel accomplished. The items on the list don't need to be substantial (ex. Item 4 on today's list "Watch Laker's game") but there needs to be a plan for the day. Especially days without any structure like Saturday and the latter half of Sunday. Without a plan, the day just slips away with Pawn Star reruns and cuticle cutting. I really hate getting to the end of a day or a weekend without getting anything done, especially since free time is so scarce these days. This doesn't mean days are full of work only, the list frequently includes "Get a pedicure" or other such leisure, but at least it's written down and thus more likely to actually happen. Is this so crazy??

This weekend, we tackled our two storage closets. We had done a preliminary sorting and stashing when we moved in, but I've been dying to do a full sort and purge ever since. Today was finally the day!

Did we realize we had NINE suitcases in our closet!? Each of these has a smaller bag inside. Wow! We must move a lot.
And oh the hangers. I really, really hate buying hangers. Because why should they be so expensive? And who has to buy hangers?? Hangers are just one of those things that exist in your closet, until you leave home and no longer have hangers and must face the fact that 1-you don't have a home anymore and 2-why is a 10-pack almost $10 and 3-what if need more, isn't CZ moving here soon?? We whittled the extras down to 1 small box. Perfectly reasonable.


In the end, 5 boxes were driven to a dumpster and (illegally) tossed under cloak of darkness.

When we got home Ken said "You know what we didn't do today?"
Me "What?"
Ken "Fritter."

Ahh.... He loves me.

Ie Li has posted our sister update of the week HERE.

Did you see Annee's posting of the sister post last week? It features vintage graduation photos, which means I sorta hate the post, but I'm dealing with that...

May 7 - This morning the sun was calling

Today was a spectacularly beautiful day. Ken was up early to run and go to work so it was up to me to make it a day. After thoroughly sleeping off the work week of deprivation, I got up and started tidying the house. When I stepped outside to throw something to the trash, I was literally stopped in my tracks by how nice the weather was.

Back in the house, running shoes on and I left with no real destination in mind. A mile in I decided to head to the antique store to see if they have received another of the type of chandelier I'm stalking but somewhere along the WO&D trail I made a wrong turn because a few miles later I crossed over the freeway which is 100% opposite of where I was trying to go. Oops!

The upside was passing DePaul's Urban Farm. Their sales must increase 5000% percent on sunny days in the 70's. How could you run past this shop without buying a few plants for your windowbox, and maybe this cute little planter box of herbs and oh how about a hydrangea plant, they do so well in DC humidity.


I closed out the day with Jane Eyre, a strawberry shake and some delightful company.


Tomorrow will have a hard time topping today!

May 6 - Wait I wasn't ready take it again

This year has been a blur.

In my defense, I do operate in a total time warp. Very frequently I have to stop and verify not just the day of the week but what YEAR it is. I guess that's what happens when you spend all day, everyday of 2011 going through records from 2010 preparing returns for the "current year." What we call the "prior year" is actually the 2009 return which was actually completed sometime in 2010. Combine that with the fact that PwC is about to enter year Fiscal Year 2012 for all internal deadlines and you end up with one very confused me.

I cannot believe 2011 is almost half over. In my mind there are only 10.5 months per year because beginning in mid-November it is Christmas and really the year ends when Christmas begins, you know? So the year is half over, and I feel like I just woke up from a very long nap in which I dreamed a daily existence of wishing I were asleep. Ha! That is not really a joke, but who ISN'T tired all. the. time.

This is a long way of saying it's time to start documenting life again. Everyday life. And even though this is the first May in about 5 years that I will not be leaving the country, I am going to resume my Photo A Day In May. Who knows, maybe we'll go to Canada just to keep the streak alive.

On Monday I got TWO calendar invites for dates this weekend. And I'm not talking dates to Costco. How lucky is that!

Anyway, goodnight.