Making the Most of....September

One of my favorite bloggers recently posted a list of ways to make the most of September. She does one for every month, but this month I was really inspired by how her list fit some of my own personal goals for this month: http://fitnessista.com/2014/09/10-ways-to-make-it-a-stellar-september/.

1) Streamline. 

I REALLY need to clean out my closet, donate some items, consign some others, and make space in my life for the person I am becoming. Holding onto clothes from college that I don't wear anymore seems less practical every day.

2) Sign up for a new class or fall fitness event. 

Mike and I signed up for a 10K in October. I would like to ACTUALLY train for this one...meaning run more than 3 miles before the race day. (<<Hold me to this, MJ!) I would also like to make time for different group fitness classes, including zumba, kickboxing, and yoga.

3) Determine your personal abundance block, and brainstorm strategies to turn over a new leaf this fall.

I realized the other day that I have a really hard time focusing due to trying to do too many things at once. I kept asking Mike to diagnose why my computer was so slow and he ended up telling me it was because I had two different google chromes profiles with no less than 8 tabs each open, as well as 7 different applications running on my computer at once. I cannot multi-task and I'd like to simplify my work computer this month in order to simplify my thought process.

4) Enjoy an outdoor dinner party, long walk or picnic. 

September has turned out to be pretty humid and hot so far in DC!, but Mike is so awesome at grilling that I'd like to take advantage of that for as long as possible before it gets cool out. I'd also like to try hiking nearby one day.

5) Join a cheering squad. 

This time of year is really stressful at my job and sometimes it's really easy to get caught up in 'busy' without stopping to recognize the achievements of my coworkers and students. I'd like to make more time to show appreciation for others.

6) Hit up the farmers market and make a new recipe with your findings. 

I love farmer's markets during the Fall and heard we have a good one near us. I'd like to explore what it has the offer.

7) Make this cornbread 

I want to make it with chili too! Football, cornbread, and chili are perfect together:)

8) I didn't want to follow Gina's fitness calendar, so my #8 is going to be "learning something new". 

I'm using Duolingo, Memrise, and some quick study guides to learn Spanish. Hopefully, I can talk with my sister, mom, and students to practice!

9) Plan a date night.

I'd love to have a farmer's market date, try out some new restaurants near us, see some more movies, and cook more....both with friends and with Mike.

10) New candle.

I'd love a new fall-scented candle!

6.2 Awesome Miles & Mount Vernon

South Lakes 10K

Last weekend Mike and I ran a 10k in Reston to measure our progress after weeks of working out. (Mike got a gym membership from August to November and we've been taking full advantage of it.) We both did really well in the 10k. I averaged 8:50/miles for a finish time of 55:00 and Mike averaged 8:09/miles so we was quite a bit faster. Our new 3 mile loop route near the house is full of hills so I credit that for our fast times despite not running any training runs over 3 miles. Mike also made a playlist for us to both listen to full of songs from the Guardians of the Galaxy movie which just came out recently. If you haven't seen it yet, it has an awesome old school soundtrack.

Mike has another 'ruck' coming up this September and then we both signed up for The Parks 10k in the city in November. That route is supposed to be a lot faster and flatter so we're hoping for a good showing then.

We were both INCREDIBLY sore after the race and stayed dormant a few days to recover. I know I used to run half marathons, but right now my body can't handle the thought of 13 miles, for some reason.

Georgetown and Indian

This weekend Mike's mom came to stay with us and we had a great time showing her our new stomping grounds in Northern Virginia. We got to spend the better part of Saturday hanging out in Georgetown. Mike got to explore the apple store while Leslie and I looked around in BHLDN (Anthropologie's bridal shop where I had bought my wedding gown online). I felt affirmed in my purchase when all gowns comparable in style to mine were marked up far more than what I paid. They were all absolutely beautiful, though.

I got to have a little bit of the in-store bridal shopping experience via Leslie who was looking for dress to wear to the ceremony. There was even a "this is the one" moment and everyone kept congratulating her on the perfect dress find even as we were leaving the store! It was so much fun.

Before we left Georgetown, we of course had to stop and get some Pinkberry which I maintain is, yes the most expensive, but best yogurt I've had. I went for my normal combination of strawberries/almonds/coconut with tart yogurt.

Later that evening, we ventured to a place Mike and I have never been before for some Indian food. (We don't yet have our regular joints in Nova.) We shared champagne (celebrating the everyday!), goat curry, tandoori salmon, and salmon tikka masala with garlic naan and some pistachio/rice frozen dessert. Mike and Leslie both wanted to mango mousse, but I whispered to Mike that I actually don't like mango or mousse so they were nice enough to brave unknown frozen pistachio dessert for me:)

Mount Vernon and Thai

Mount Vernon estate

On Sunday, we had tickets to see Mount Vernon which was a wonderful way to spend a day! Although quite warm with an unforgiving sun, the breeze off of the Potomac River was cooling and the day was beautiful. We learned much about the founder of our country and that his integrity was probably his most valuable leadership trait.

Later that evening, we went to dinner at a nearby Thai restaurant with great reviews and had a fantastic meal of sweet & sour tofu, crispy basil duck, and chicken panang curry. It was great to have Leslie over for a few days to be able to show her around town.

Finishing The West Wing

Mike and I finished The West Wing and have a newfound void in out lives which we are trying to fill with new episodes of Once Upon A Time. But there is no replacing a Leo McGarry and let's just say that, for a while, I was trying to feel out Mike's thought incorporating the name Leo into a future child of ours.

I'm sure we've been watching The West Wing ever since shortly after we started dating and now just finished it. Because getting through series takes a lot of time, I've also recently ordered the book "Scarcity" for us to read together and share our perspectives on.

This Week!

I can't believe it's September. I really can't. This week marks the "official" start of my travel schedule to college campuses. Last week was basically triage time at the community colleges. Where did August go? My favorite season Fall is right around the corner and there are less than 4 months until Mike and I get married. Eep.

This week I'm looking forward to finding my new work groove for traveling and checking in with my students, having a lowkey Settlers, burgers, and beer night with Alex and Kelly, and having some quality date time with Mike. Fall always makes me want to go on dates:)

MY DRESS

For those of you who feel a little blindsided by the fact that I have a dress...you know me well. Obviously, if I had looked for a dress, tried on dresses, or bought a dress...I would have blogged every second, every pro/con, the entire process. You would have known more than you ever had wished to know about dresses. Why? Because, even if we were having a big wedding, the dress is probably the only thing I would really care about wedding-wise. Well...and the cake.

In case I haven't announced it on the blog yet, Mike and I are having a small family-centered wedding ceremony in December that breaks tradition with what most weddings look like. Back when we first started talking about getting married, the idea of a traditional big wedding overwhelmed both of us and didn't feel true to ourselves so we briefly thought about elopement. However, remembering the fact that weddings really are just getting married and celebrating that fact, we decided to try to craft our own experience based on exactly how we would like celebrate our marriage:) We want our families there and we want our good friend Josh to marry us. We want great food and cake, but no "reception". We want to celebrate the occasion with our friends, but not limit that celebration to just one day where we don't really get to spend quality time with anyone. After all, it will be the holiday season and the anniversary of when we first met on NYE:) It's been easier than I thought explaining to people that we are having a small non-traditional wedding that is going to happen by the end of this calendar year. Families and friends have been very supportive and my friend Kelly and Mike have been really helpful with the few things we had to plan.

A few weekends ago Mike's mom introduced me to BHLDN which is Anthropologie's wedding line. I hadn't been planning on buying a 'traditional' wedding dress, but I did like a lot of the dresses on the website. One in particular really got my attention so much that I made a bridal appointment at the store in Georgetown with the intention of trying it on. Well, my appointment ended up being a month later in mid-September and, when I noticed the dress was actually sold out online, I called their customer service on the whim to inquiry about what sizes they had left in stores. It wasn't a very traditional dress so I assumed it would be available. Turns out stores only carry sample sizes and it was sold out in everything except for a size 0. :( I was told by customer service there might be one size 10 left and to call a specific store in the morning. When I called, they had just sold it, but told me other stores may have had dresses returned to them that were not updated in inventory.

At this point, I was a little obsessed about finding a dress in a wearable size for me. Mike knows that I do NOT like being told that I can't do something. I become stubbornly motivated to prove people and myself wrong so I ended up calling every single BHLDN store and asking them to check their back rooms and see if they might happen to magically have a dress there. A few times I was told they had one and then they found out that had just sold it. At this point, I said I'd take anything from size 6-10 (I guessed I might be an 8?). Anyway, at the very last story I called in Boston, someone checked the back room and told me they had a sample size 4 left that needed some bead repair done and they could mark it down for that. I DIDN'T CARE. I WAS ECSTATIC AND FELT LIKE IT WAS FATE! The ONLY snag was that it was a final sale item and they couldn't even transfer it to Georgetown so I could try it on. I was so afraid of them selling it that I took a gamble and bought the size 4. (Some people had said the dress ran big in reviews, right?) I figured that, worst-case-scenario, I could always re-sell it online if it didn't work out.

The dress came shortly after and was even MORE GORGEOUS in person that it was online. Because it was a size lower than I had wanted and it was incredibly beautiful and fragile looking, I wanted to wait until my in-store appointment to try it on there. To be honest, I was also kind of nervous it wouldn't fit and then I would feel silly for taking such a risk and getting my hopes up. I spent a good two weeks trying to wait until my dress appointment and then one day...I couldn't wait anymore. I made sure Mike was playing a video game, then snuck into the room and pulled the glittery gown out of it's safe spot. I gently took it off the hanger and pulled it over my head in order to shimmy my way into it. It fell around my hips and I zipped it up. It fit. All of my planning, then impulsivity, then trying to manage my expectations and this dress fit like it was made for me......just as I am....right now.

Now that the sheer joy of having the exact dress I wanted work out has been processed, I'm trying to glean a lesson from the experience. I think that it's okay to take risks. It's okay to go after the things that you want even when you think it may seem silly to others. Make YOUR wedding, YOUR dress, YOUR life work for you.....not the other way around. Don't be afraid to go after what you want even if there's a chance you won't get it. I love being cautious and practical, but sometimes the best things in life don't come after careful calculations.

Feel free to stalk the website and reviews, but can't wait for you all to see it in the wedding pictures!

Virginia Is For Lovers

Cumberland:

Two weekends ago, Mike and I celebrated his finishing the bar with a trip to his grandparents' house in Cumberland, MD. Turns out the Friday before that we found out we had another thing to celebrate: we got word that we are staying in DC for his first station!!!! This means: I GET TO KEEP MY JOB, WE GET TO STAY CLOSE TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS, WE CAN NOW PLAN OUR FUTURE! We also found out when Mike's ODS dates are which means we basically have an idea of when we're getting married. It now looks like December 21, 2014 (also the winter solstice).

We got to celebrate this news with Mike's mom, sister, aunt, and grandparents. I also went on a shopping trip (I may have unofficially (just for fun) tried on a wedding gown with feathers hehe). I can't remember the last time I went shopping with just the girls so I may have gotten a little too excited to and bought several new socks, underwear, and workout clothes. I don't know how I went this long without an underarmor sports bra! (Thanks Frances and Papa Buck!)

Other highlights of the weekend included: spicy shrimp, quesadillas, snickers ice cream cake for Mike's mom's birthday!, cheesy olives, and of course my favorite saltine cracker toffee! I was so excited to be able to take a recipe book home of many of these recipes and a jewelry chest from Frances.

I realized I forgot to get the story of Papa Buck and Frances's courtship, but I hope to write that down next time we visit.

We also stopped by my house on the way back home and were able to babysit Ashton (see video below) and load up on some pasta salad and more tomatoes to take back home, along with some of the most delicious spicy sweet pickles my stepdad made.

Officially VA residents!:

This past weekend, Mike and I had the DMV on our To Do list. It only took us about two hours total there and now we are both VA residents and my car is registered/titled in VA! I'm hoping this is my last time switching everything over since we'll have military status next time we move, but if not, I trust myself to be an expert at it by now.

We are finally settling in to our new place. We have acquired last-minute pieces of furniture and I even tried to get a plant to make it more home-y (which Rupert immediately tried to eat so I'm going to have to give it to our upstairs roommate).

Mike and I have also been enjoying our close proximity to two different gyms. Because he's trying to get in post-bar Navy shape and now has a 3-month membership to my gyms, I've had an extra incentive to not skip workouts. :) It's always been really hard to workout after work for me, but he has been really good at helping me find some more energy after work.

When Mike and I went to a fancy restaurant to celebrate staying in DC, this was our "compliments of the chef" amuse bouche. It was so miniature that I laughed/cried for about 5 minutes and still was unable to look at it without laughing. I hope someone out there understands.

A cute video of Mike feeding Ashton. Don't listen to me in the background. Seriously. My style of videography involves telling people to do more exciting things. 

Recent Favorites and some Anne Lamott

• Two weekends ago, I played my first role of bridesmaid in the wedding of my little sister from my college sorority. It was an all-around great weekend and we got to stay with Brian and Kay at their place which was mere blocks away from the hotel and church!

The gorgeous cathedral I snuck a picture of.

DGs at the rehearsal dinner

All DGs at the reception! (minus the bride!)

Mike and I at the reception!

                                 

• I've also had some pretty scenic running adventures lately. I'm trying to get back into the swing of things post-move and weekends out of town!

New running path at our new place! It's right near a nature trail and river and is a pretty scenic substitution for the monuments I miss running by.

Saturday, I walked past the Capitol to meet Mike at the law school for a study break lunch and had to play tourist for just a second!

Today, I treated myself to a morning run past the monuments (after dropping MJ off int he city to leave for Baltimore) and this is the closest I've ever been to the Washington monument! So close I couldn't get it all until I had run a little further away!

There it is:) At this point, I had to turn around or I was going to be late for work. Not my fastest day;)

• This guy in his overalls.........the MOST adorable....

• Mike sent me a Bar Eve text of the dragonboats in Inner Harbor because he knows I love them. At first I thought it was a picture of the trash cans and I had just had a trash can gifted to me by a neighbor (ours was accidentally stolen because we didn't put our house number on it...which apparently happens a lot). It was such a kind and welcoming gesture and now I don't have to go through the hassle of contacting the city.

• Mike will be done with the bar by Wednesday evening! I realize I've taken many of his projects for granted, just because after so many exam periods and interviews and mock trials and shows....it feels routine for things to be intense every so often, but I've seen and heard that bar study is the kind of intensity that is meant to unhinge you. I don't know if I believe in the necessity of the mind games, but I DO know what a blessing it will be to get past it! GO MIKE GO<3

• This post from Anne Lamott. The news has had me feeling kind of down lately and she always finds a way to put words to it and to also help me focus on the hopeful and positive beauty of life. I posted a shortened version below.

"Many mornings I check out the news as soon as I wake up, because if it turns out that the world is coming to an end that day, I am going to eat the frosting off an entire carrot cake; just for a start. Then I will move onto vats of clam dip, pots of crime brûlée, nachos, M & M's etc. Then I will max out both my credit cards...

The last two weeks have been about as grim and hopeless as any of us can remember, and yet, I have not gotten out the lobster bib and fork...

Hasn't your mind just been blown lately, even if you try not to watch the news? Does it surprise you that a pretty girl's mind turns to thoughts of entire carrot cakes, and credit cards?...

It's not that I don't trust God or grace or good orderly direction anymore. I do, more than ever. I trust in divine intelligence, in love energy, more than ever, no matter what things look like, or how long they take. It's just that right now cute little platitudes are not helpful.

I'm not depressed. I'm overwhelmed by It All. I don't think I'm a drag. I kind of know what to do. I know that if I want to have loving feelings, I need to do loving things. It begins by putting your own oxygen mask on first: I try to keep the patient comfortable. I do the next right thing: left foot, right foot, left foot, breathe. I think Jesus had a handle on times like these: get thirsty people water. Feed the hungry. Try not to kill anyone today. Pick up some litter in your neighborhood. Lie with your old dog under the bed and tell her what a good job she is doing with the ruptured ear drum.

I try to quiet the drunken Russian separatists of my own mind, with their good ideas. I pray. I meditate. I rest, as a spiritual act. I spring for organic cherries. I return phone calls.

I remember the poor. I remember an image of Koko the sign-language gorilla, with the caption, "Law of the American Jungle: remain calm. Share your bananas." I remember Hushpuppy at the end of Beasts of the Southern Wild, just trying to take some food home to her daddy Wink, finally turning to face the hideous beast on the bridge, facing it down and saying, "I take care care of my own."

I take care of my own. You are my own, and I am yours--I think this is what God is saying, or trying to, over the din. We are each other's. Thee are many forms of thirst, many kinds of water."

-Anne Lamott

Fourth, Wimbledon, Happy Hours, & Baby Showers

Fourth

Mike and I spent our Fourth of July at our friend Josh's (and Steph and Ross and Dan) much-anticipated 4th of July Roof Party. We watched the downtown fireworks not-to-be-overshadowed by the fireworks just from the block party on a street two blocks from the roof. Unfortunately, my allergies (or cold? because I can't tell the difference) went crazy right before the fireworks and so we left shortly after. However, I tried to snag a few pictures in between sneezes.

Bad picture, but it helps give you the idea.

Sick Independence Day selfie!

I like this one:) See the tiny monument on the left!

Wimbledon

On Sunday after the Fourth, we had our annual Wimbledon Breakfast. Absi, Carlos, and Alicia helped us eat some of our spread which included the usual cucumber sandwiches with herbed goat cheese spread (delicious!), pitcher of Pimm's Cup cocktail, hot tea, muffins, meat and cheese platter, and strawberries with angel food cake and fresh whipped-cream! Mike did a great job making the whipped cream:) Unfortunately (GAH), Roger lost in 5 sets, BUT you can never really complain when you get to watch 5 sets of tennis awesomeness. Looking forward to the US Open already!

Roger and our foodsss.

Refuse to Lose! & Goodbye Happy Hour

Because we are very much in a tennis mood now, Kelly and I went to see the Kastles Wednesday night. There were no real current big names, but some past big names definitely, including Martina Hingis! It was so nice to see live tennis in a different style. They really try to make this tennis league spicier than the Grand Slams, including getting the crowd to cheer on the local team. One chant was "Refuse to Lose" and I brought Mike back a free sign they gave out with that slogan on it. I told him it was to hang up for when he studies the rest of this month.

The next night Mike and I went to a happy hour to say goodbye to Matt and Cori who are moving to California while Cori starts her MBA:( So excited for them, but sad to say goodbye. We snapped a picture with Kellex while being goofy...

I missed the open mouth memo.

Tiff's Baby Shower

My stepsister, Tiffany, is expecting a baby girl at the end of August and she had her baby shower today at my mom and stepdad's house in Virginia. Because my sister was busy that morning and my mom had to help set up for the shower, I arrived early to take care of my favorite little man. Of course, I took a good number of pictures.

This face.

THIS face.

Chilling in the pool<3

I was basically a personal lazy river for him.

#hardcoreauntiemode

Tomorrow, I might get to hang out with Ashton on his first trip to the zoo! And this upcoming weekend I'll be in Philadelphia at my Little's wedding (my first as a bridesmaid!). Next week's post will be a doozy, for sure.

The Rest of June in Review

I know Mike and I have not posted in a while. How could we have predicted that the summer would have been this crazy? Law school is over and my students are out of school, but somehow (with the help of bar studying and summer programming at my job) our stress level has increased significantly in June. Besides work and studying, we've had lots of other things to take up the rest of our time:

June 14th: GoRuck Light!

• Sometime in May, Mike signed up for a challenge event with his friend from Woodberry, Taylor. I has just asked Mike to sign up for a race with me this summer and he said he was too busy! But I later found out that the draw of this challenge was that it was military-style and would help prepare him for ODS in the Fall. I normally only like familiar, but I impulsively decided to sign up with Mike and Taylor out of solidarity. We ended up doing the race the weekend after we got engaged and it was such a good shared experience to have in that moment. Mike carried me....on his back...at many points throughout the challenge. I carried a 125 pound girl for a little ways up a hill. Our entire team was working/lifting/running for about 5 hours total. And then, at the very end, our cadre called "the future bride and groom" up in front of the group. Who...me? Taylor had told our cadre about us getting engaged and our team ended up carrying us on their shoulders together while humming "Here comes the Bride...". It was an incredible event. I was sore for about a week after, but I already can't wait to find another one to do.
• A story Mike's friend, Taylor, wrote about the organization that does these challenges: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/dont-quit-why-a-post-writer-signed-up-for-12-hours-of-hell-twice/2013/08/22/4194305c-eeed-11e2-bed3-b9b6fe264871_story.html



Pre-race....when we still had the energy to smile:)

• This is a video of the team carrying Mike and I on their shoulders: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152618403725769. It says it is a public video, but if you can't see it, I don't know how to fix that:)
• The  website for more information about the event: https://www.goruck.com/light

Our whole group for the GoRuck Light! If you can't spot me, I'm the only one who is doing the 'sorority squat'.

June 15th: Cafe Berlin Brunch

• I need to write about Cafe Berlin because it's one of my first experience with authentic German food. Mike and I met up with Patrick and Justine and Justine lovingly offered to help us move some furniture later (that we were acquiring from Steph W.'s home in Maryland)...don't we have amazing friends? Anyway, while re-discovering my love of authentic sauerkraut and strong mustards, I also re-discovered how glorious french press coffee is.

June 16th: Private Lives

• We saw the last production of our Shakespeare Theater Company subscription for this year. This particular play asked deep questions about love, relationships, hate, and divorce, but did so in an often hilarious way. STC really did a great job with their subscriptions for young professionals and I hope we can take advantage of a similar opportunity in whatever cities we end up in.

June 21st: HOME

An adorable Ashton picture!

• I went home to see the family and Baby Ashton. I also wanted to hunt around for some supplies for the new apartment. (Our new place is basically just full of free stuff we've accumulated over the past couple of months. Thanks to all who donated to us!) Baby Ashton has gotten SO BIG. He is almost 8 months old now (I can't believe it) and has gotten way more active. He is such a happy baby, smiling all the time and laughing easily. I cannot wait until Courtney comes to the city and I get to babysit him for a whole evening!

June 28th-29th: Independence Run 5-miler and Moving

• At 7:15am the Saturday morning of our first day of REAL moving, I has a 5-mile race to run in Leesburg, VA. I must have signed up for it when I was feeling particularly motivated and impulsive, because Past Kels was not looking out for Future Kels. I also did not realize that Leesburg, VA was an hour away from DC and that I would have to wake up at 5am. Nonetheless, I had comittted to running it with Kelly and Alex and, by the time 8am rolled around, I'd completed 5 miles at about an 8:30 pace....not bad for the amount of training I had done which was nothing different my usual workouts. The race was actually super nice! The course was hilly, but in the countryside, and it felt nice to be that productive that early in the morning. At my best, I actually am a morning person....just not on moving weekends.
• Mike and I ended up moving everything in 4 trips with my car....and we did it all ourselves. I'm actually really impressed with us. I would describe the experience of moving with your partner as.....an exercise in character-building and trust-building. Because we both value efficiency, I did a lot of organizing/packing/sorting (my strengths) and Mike did a lot of heavy lifting and logistics (his strengths). Yesterday, we found a bug in our apartment and I told Mike that I'd identified bug-killing as one of his strengths so I'd let him handle that one;) I don't think he bought that compliment.

Rupert is settling in nicely! He is happier than we've ever seen him:)

June 30th: "Top Gun"

• Seeing a movie outdoors was one of the items on my DC summer bucket list. I decided on Top Gun in Crystal City because Kelly said it was the best venue and because I though Top Gun had something to do with the Navy. (I had never seen it before.) Kelly, Alex, Mike, and I ate We the Pizza and ice cream on blankets and then were treated to an epic movie (awesome soundtrack!) featuring Tom Cruise at his best. It was really hard to tear ourselves away from all of the organizing and nesting in our new place, but it was totally worth it!

Pizza and Screen on the Green in Crystal City! Blurry is arts

I can't believe that today is the first day of July and that, in the first 6 months of the year, the following happened:

• I started a new job
• We went to Disney!
• Mike finalized his acceptance into the Navy and commissioned!
• Mike graduated from law school!
• We got engaged:)
• We moved into a new place together:)

Things to look forward to during the rest of 2014!

• our Breakfast at Wimbledon brunch this Sunday!
• Jenny's wedding in less than 2 weeks! (We'll be staying with Brian and Kay in Philly)
• Mike finishing the Bar and us celebrating with a trip to Cumberland!
• 10K in August that hopefully Mike and I will actually have time to train for!
• Sending Mike off to ODS! Then welcoming him back!
• Getting married!