'Tis the Season

Okay folks, it's that time of year again, when I turn into a Christmas carol-singing five year-old who shrieks at anything glittery.   Today is a super depressing, gray and unseasonably warm day in DC, but I'm choosing to imagine that large snowflakes are falling.

Since it has obviously been awhile since I've written {I have a good excuse, I promise!}, I guess I owe you a recap.  Starting in mid-November, my life was hijacked by file-reading.  No joke.  I was reading during nearly every non-sleep-occupied hour, waking up at 4:40 every morning so I could still go for my run and get to the office at 7.  Sure, I was productive during the week-and-a-half that I was reading, but my quality of life was God-awful and I was so exhausted that I was kind of crabby.  You can imagine my relief when I got home from work the Friday before Thanksgiving and my sweet Dan, who had left to meet a friend for hh/dinner, left me some beautiful flowers and an encouraging note that reminded me that I was almost done.  At that point, I started to cry a little bit, both from the sweetness of the gesture and from exhaustion {probably more the latter}.  I'm hoping things will be a little bit easier in the next round, but I'm sort of doubting it…that being said, I LOVE LOVE LOVE my job and really enjoyed reading about all of these kiddos.  It was just a lot of intensity in a very short amount of time.

Anyway, because Thanksgiving fell so late this year, I was able to wrap up my file-reading just in time to head back to Pittsburgh with Dan for Thanksgiving!  I had been looking forward to the trip for a long time, since it was the first holiday that we have spent together, and, despite the fact that I missed my family {it really isn't the same whenever you spend a holiday away from your family}, I had a fabulous time.  Dan's family is relatively big on both his mom's and dad's side, and a good chunk of them live in Pittsburgh, so, when I counted, I met 14 new people, in addition to the members of the family that I already knew.  The family is hilarious and has a soft spot for family game nights, so what better ice-breaker than a game of Trivial Pursuit and watching home videos all together?! {As a side note, Dan was the cutest little kiddo!}.  We were able to sneak in some alone time, too, to watch a few episodes of Homeland, go to the Pens game {my first at Consol!} and head downtown to see the PPG tree and the Market Square Christmas Market.  I was definitely not super psyched to come back to work on Monday, but the length of the break felt just right.  I was able to catch up on some much-needed sleep and spend time with a wonderful and loving family.  I really did luck out in terms of Dan's family; they are such a great, enthusiastic bunch, and have welcomed me with open arms into the family, which I have appreciated so much.

For the next few weeks, we'll be doing all sorts of fun Christmasy activities {ice skating! sweets- baking! present-wrapping! carol-singing}, while hopefully coasting in to the Christmas break work-wise.  I do have to work for a few days over Christmas break, being that I am one of the newbies in the office, but it shouldn't be too bad.  I will be heading to NY for a few days for Christmas with my dad's family, and I am super psyched, mostly because there are two new babies in the family this year, one of whom I haven't met yet.  I think the Facebook photo stalking of these children has reached the point where I just need to see them already!  Finally, two weeks from today, Dan will have all of his MBA decisions on hand, and I couldn't me more excited {and, admittedly, nervous} for him!  It could put a damper in our Christmas dinner two weeks from today if he gets bad news…maybe should have planned that one better.  The thought that we could know in two weeks where we'll be next year is exciting and overwhelming at the same time.

Happy Christmas Season, friends!

Hitting the Concrete Jungle

This past weekend, Dan and I headed up to NYC for a variety of reasons, the first being that I wanted to check in on Tim now that he's living in the big city {I had planned to visit him anyway, but the major guilt trip that my mom laid on me for not being home for Thanksgiving certainly sped up the planning process for the trip}; we had yet to visit our friends James and Lindsay, who are, after years of living apart, finally able to live together in NYC before they get married next fall; and it just seemed like a generally good idea.

Now, I am not the type of person who is totally enamored with New York; I recognize that it is an interesting city with lots to offer, but every time I leave after spending a weekend there, I think to myself, 'That was fun, but I would never be able to live here.' The city is too teeming with people, too gritty and too unfriendly for me to ever be able to call it home.  Sure, it's easy to romanticize it a bit if you're only going up for a weekend, but nothing about the time that I've spent there would compel me to move there.

Onward…on Saturday morning, Dan, James and I went for a quick run before grabbing breakfast, and I was painfully reminded of why I try to avoid running with boys at all costs.  Now, when I just run with Dan, he is typically a good sport and slows the pace down for me {unless he's training}, but this pace was still a little fast for my liking.  Anyway, we refueled with some delicious brunch afterward {the mood strangely struck me to order Irish oatmeal, which I almost never eat but love dearly} before heading over to the Brooklyn Bridge.  It was the perfect mix of a somewhat touristy activity mixed with a gorgeous view on an even more breathtaking day, not to mention some walking.  Luckily for me, James is similarly militant in his love of walking while exploring a city, so poor Dan and Lindsay had to put up with that for the afternoon :)  Dan and I met up with Tim for dinner and got a chance to see his brand new place that he had just moved into that day.  You can certainly tell that three college-aged guys live there {it's a little grimy, for lack of a better word}, but it is a great location and the view from the rooftop is amazeballs.  Then, we headed back to J&L's for a get-together at their apartment/going out in my neighborhood.  The other thing that I'm always reminded of when I leave NYC is the fact that I can't keep up with those lunatics.  Grandma needs her sleep!!!  We high-tailed it out of the city relatively early so as to beat the Marathon crowd, and so ended our lovely NYC weekend.

Our little crew on the Brooklyn Bridge

The view from Tim's apartment.  Not bad.

We should have consulted each other before getting dressed.  The abundance of plaid is slightly aggressive.

So, November…holy crow is this going to be a busy month.  Just a quick run-down of our weekends for this month:

- This weekend: I have a birthday party on Friday and am going to visit my grandparents for the remainder of the weekend.  Dan will be out of town on MBA interviews (!!!).
- Next weekend: Kristin will be in town on Friday for residency interviews, and we have a birthday party on Saturday night.
- The weekend before Thanksgiving: I am going to Rangila with a work friend on Friday night, and we have a murder mystery party {hosted by, who else, Molly} on Saturday night.
- We're leaving for Thanksgiving with Dan's family either on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning!

And then it's December.  Oh, and reading season starts Monday.  Let's do this...

Love that Dirty Water!

I am just now starting to come out of my Red Sox World Series Championship-induced high.  What a fun month October was to be a Red Sox fan!  I started off the month feeling cautiously optimistic, given the embarrassment of the past few seasons for my boys.  It was also fun because, for the first time in 21 years, the Pirates made the playoffs/had a winning season, so Dan was as giddy as a schoolgirl over that.

I enjoyed being in Boston during the ALDS, although they were playing in Tampa at the time.  Strolling down Yawkey and Lansdowne never ceases to make this girl's heart flutter.  There was a fun little sign on Yawkey that paid tribute to the wide variety of beards represented by this year's team {which, by the way, I'm completely over.  Dan will tell you that I start to squirm if he has the slightest trace of facial hair}.

Admittedly, I gave in to my grandma ways and did not stay up like I had for the playoffs in 2004 and 2007, but, in my defense, I was a student during both of those playoff runs, so a little grogginess was more excusable.  I definitely remember walking around in a fog for about three weeks during the 2004 playoff run {if you'll remember, we had some late-night extra-inning games that year}.  I did stay up for Game 6 this year, because I wanted to witness the moment when the Sox won, if they won.  Boy, was it ever magical.  I know there are so many Red Sox fans who came before me who never got to see a World Series win in their lifetime, so I feel pretty spoiled that I have seen three in the past decade.

This team was a very special one, as I think this Globe article proves.  I think there was definitely a tendency among members of the press to overstate the importance of this World Series to the city of Boston in light of the Boston Marathon tragedy, but it's undeniable that this team provided a much-needed morale boost to a city that has had an emotional year.  It has been proven that sports are part of the healing process following a tragedy, allowing people to temporarily escape from their grief.  It brought tears to my eyes to see Sox fans flock to the finish line of the Marathon following the victory, down on their knees and taking a moment to honor the victims.  Despite the gritty reputation that Bostonians have, the city, and its residents, was profoundly affected by the tragedy.  Boston Strong, indeed.

A few other gems from the playoffs:

- A rundown gone awry

- Oh Prince, you are so…special.  Laughing for days.

Well, it's safe to say that fall is officially upon us! The hot summer-like days of a few weeks ago have given way to crisp fall mornings and evenings, which makes this New Englander happy as a clam.  We went to Larriland Farm out in Howard County on Saturday, and that made me feel as though fall had officially arrived.  We picked a huge back of delicious Stayman apples, as well as a couple of pumpkins and small gourds.  Of course, we had to get a jug of cider for Dan {interestingly, he prefers cold cider, and I like mine hot and with a cinnamon stick}.  The farm is a lot of fun, for those of you who haven't been, and is only about an hour from DC.  Be warned: we were one of the few young couples there without children, but I really enjoyed watching the kiddos experience fall delights as we ate our picnic lunch.  Last night, I made a delicious apple crisp with the apples, from a recipe that Dan's mom sent me.

Yesterday, Dan and I ran the Army Ten Miler, which was a great addition to our weekend.  I had been excited about this race since we signed up in May, and I was especially grateful to be able to run, particularly since, a month-and-a-half earlier, I was in a boot and was essentially immobilized.  The first few weeks of running post-boot were definitely no picnic, since I hadn't been able to do cardio in about seven weeks, but the payoff of being able to race was incredible.  Dan was a rock star {duh} and ran it in 1:04, and I clocked in at 1:17.  While I can't keep up with that speed demon, I was happy with the race and my sub-8 minute miles.  Our parents were along various points in the course, which is always good for a pump-up, and it was truly inspirational to see so many wounded warriors running.  There was also a blind runner near me for a chuck of the race who was running with a guide, who was actually more like a coach.  It was really touching to watch them, and you could tell that the guy was really grinding hard.  After two great races this season, I am looking forward to doing the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler and the Nike Women's Half next spring!!

Things at work are definitely picking up, so I was glad that we got to experience a fun fall weekend, and had some really nomalicious dinners {Bistro Bis on Capitol Hill on Friday, Ristorante Piccolo in Gtown on Saturday, and, of course, Mellow Mushroom last night}.  I've been enjoying the cozy nights of putting my pajamas on when we get home from work and sit on the couch watching my Sox in the MLB playoffs, snuggled under our blankets.  I missed my guy when I was traveling, so it sure is nice to be back home with him for the foreseeable future :-)

Catching My Breath

Ladies and gentlemen, I am in the midst of my brief time at home, and let's just say it has been...relaxing.

My first two weeks on the road were wonderful.  I got to visit 40 schools, meet with countless wonderful students, college counselors and alums, and feel like a really effective ambassador for the school.  It certainly wasn't all roses; traveling for that long by yourself can be really freaking lonely {imagine spending night after night in a hotel room by yourself, going to bed early for lack of anything better to do}; eating regularly was not an option; there were certainly some difficult counselors and alums along the way; and, in my constant state of exhaustion, it was impossible to not miss Dan, my family and friends.  But you know what? I made it through in one piece {well, mostly- more on that in a minute}, and even had some fun in the process.  I got to cross some states off my list, and certainly got a taste of "Real America".  I am set to leave on Sunday for five more days, but this time I'll be in New England {New England in October...sighhhhhhhhh}.

I have actually been lying low and working from home for the past few days, because, on Sunday, I had a bit of a health scare.  I was planning to run back home from Columbia Heights after a lovely brunch with some friends.  However, a mile in to my run, I became dizzy, stuffy and nauseous.  I walked for a few minutes, but could tell that the situation was not trending positively, so ducked in to the nearest restaurant I could find.  I was violently ill, so much so that I called Dan, barely able to talk enough to tell him that I needed an ambulance.  Once they rushed me to the hospital, they determined that I was suffering from an infection that I had exhibited absolutely ZERO symptoms of.  I am sure that two hectic weeks of travel and germs, capped off by a crazy Homecoming weekend {when I had a wonderful reunion with some of my best friends, many of them in from out of town} did my immune system in in the end, making me more susceptible to an infection.  The incident really freaked me out, especially as someone who has grown up with food allergies.  I actually went back to the doctor today because of some potentially worrisome symptoms that I am still having, only to be told, pending the results of some tests, that the doctor thinks I am fine. It has been tough to continue to feel crummy without Dan here, since he is back in the 'burgh for the Buccos' wild card game tonight.  I have been doing a great job of feeling pretty sorry for myself while sitting at home alone all day being sick.  However, I have been VERY productive when it comes to work, and I am planning to try and head back to the office tomorrow.  Fingers crossed that I don't try to do too much too soon...I will post pictures as soon as my iPhone decides to let my pictures load onto my computer!

...Start Your Engines

I can now say that my summer is officially over, because tomorrow, I will embark on my first of three weeks of work-related travel.  I am definitely experiencing a wide array of emotions right now, from excitement that all of the planning I have been dong for the past month is finally coming together, to apprehension about how my first round of high school visits and alumni meetings will go.  I will be spending the next week in the Plains states {none of which I have been to, so yay!}, the following week in Texas, and, after a brief week back in DC, I will head off to New England for another week {twist my arm, New England in the FALL?!?!?}.

I truly have loved this job so far, so I am really looking forward to putting all of the information that I have soaked in over the past two months to the test.  I am really looking forward to meeting with students during the day and alumni in the evenings, and am hoping like I have never hoped before that I will not lose my voice.  Because, as I've said in the past, when I lose my voice, it's not one of those things where I lose it one day and it comes back the next.  The last time I lost my voice, I lost it exactly for a week :(  Here's hoping that lots of Vitamin C, Purel and tea with honey will keep me healthy and my voice strong!

I suppose the hardest part of these next few weeks will be feeling as though I don't have a home base.  Living out of a suitcase is a lifestyle that I'm not really used to, so I'll be interested to see how this goes. Also, it goes without saying that being away from Dan will be challenging.  I helped him sign up for his first Skype account, so hopefully we'll be able to talk in the evenings once I get back from my visits.  I keep telling myself, though, that I'll really only be gone for five days at a time, since, for each of those weeks, I'll be leaving on Sunday and coming back on Friday.  Feeling like I'll be missing out on spending time with friends and family has also been very much on my mind, especially since I have struggled since I have moved to figure out how to best balance spending time with friends and family, while at the same time giving my relationship the love and energy it deserves.  It is a difficult balancing act, and I would imagine it will grow infinitely more so once I jump into reading season.  But don't get me wrong, I am SO excited for the challenge, and be on the lookout for pictures once I return!

Tonight, I am cashing in on that home-cooked meal that Dan owes me.  I know he is perusing my cookbooks and my Pinterest account this morning to figure out what the heck to make, so I am excited to see what he comes up with!  The guy HATES cooking, mostly because he has convinced himself that he's not good at it, but I have every confidence that he'll do a great job!

Some New {and Old} Local Favorites

As I have settled in to being an Arlingtonian {gasp} over the course of the summer, I have been determined to balance out my wonderful nights spent at home with Dan having dinner and catching up on our TV watching with venturing into the city and trying some new places.  I refuse to be the Arlingtonian who never leaves Arlington {but would certainly encourage friends to come out and see us there! It really is lovely! As an added bonus, we have a movie theater a block from our apartment that has RECLINERS.  RECLINERS, PEOPLE!!! You feel like you're watching a movie in your living room!}.

Anyway, I digress.  I have tried out a few new places that I have loved recently, and, so, have developed some new favorite haunts.

Dupont Circle and environs:
First of all, my friend Lauren is utterly obsessed with Glen's Market just north of Dupont, and, having now been there a handful of times, I can say that the obsession is justified.  Half overpriced {yet delicious} grocery store, half wine bar, it is perfect for an after-work gathering.  I have sampled some of their cheeses, chocolate {with pretzels in it...ummmm.....yeah}, house-made sandwiches, and, most importantly, their wine.  You essentially purchase a wine card from the bar for whatever denomination you please, and then you use it to fill your glass from several wine dispensers.  There are three sizes, so you can order whichever one suits your fancy.  Personally, I think this is an ingenious idea, and I can usually get the size that I want for $5-$6, so that's not too shabby.  I don't pretend to be as much of a hipster as the employees, but I just sip my wine and eat my goodies and refuse to feel self-conscious about that.  Also, one of the bartenders has an excellent handlebar mustache.  Now, I do not like facial hair, but, let me tell you, this particular mustache is a WIN.

I have also re-discovered the Dupont Farmers Market and how truly wonderful it is.  I went there a few weeks ago to meet up with a friend for brunch, and ordered a spinach and feta croissant {my normal order, because it's so darned delicious} and a few white peaches, which were easily the most delicious peaches that I've tasted in my life.  They were mouthwateringly delicious, so juicy and not overly ripe.  I am very picky about the firmness of my peaches; I don't like them too hard, and I certainly don't like them too mealy, so these peaches were the best of both worlds.  Supporting local farmers and artisans is one of my favorite things {which is obviously why my Eastern Market jewelry problem started}, so I love going to this market. Surprisingly, I have not been back to the Courthouse market, but I would like to start doing that more, because, really, I have no excuse.

Eastern Market:
Dan and I got an itch over the weekend to grab dinner and drinks in a neighborhood that we don't typically go to, so, partly because of the Metro convenience factor {thank you, weekend delays}, we decided on Eastern Market.  We got dinner at Cava Mezze, which was delicious.  My affinity for Mediterranean food is something I've developed since living in DC, particularly after graduation, and I am literally almost always in the mood for Mediterranean food {this is also how I feel about Indian food}.  Cava Mezze did not disappoint, providing enough warm, yummy bread for two starving souls to lift our spirits before our food came out.   I convinced Dan to split an order of saganaki {the delicious cheese that they set on fire with some brandy}, and then I got my standard lentil patties and brussels sprouts with tzatziki sauce.  My mouth was in heaven.

After dinner, we went to Harold Black's speakeasy, which, for those of you who have never had the pleasure of eating at Acqua al 2 {if you haven't, then stop reading this post and go there RIGHT NOW}, is right above that restaurant, through a SUPER SECRET entrance {it IS actually unmarked}. Once you reach the door and knock so that someone can open it for you, you enter a dimly-lit room {lit only by candles in mason jars, obviously}, and spent 90 minutes sipping on some of the most delicious cocktails.  A word of warning: they are VERY strong, which we both realized at the end of the night.  But the drinks were delicious, the atmosphere was chic and intimate, and I was so glad we tried it out.

Old Town:
I went out to dinner with my parents last night at a place that has become near and dear to all of our hearts since they moved back to DC.  Fontaine is tucked away on a little side street off of King, and features some mind-blowing sweet and savory crepes.  Obviously, in my family, we order both.  There is NEVER a wait {hence the reason for not taking reservations}, and the food is out-of-this-world good.  Also, their weekly French movie nights make me wish I lived right next door, because, come on, French movies and French food? Sign me up!

I hope you all are able to try out some of these places, if you haven't already.  I know I've had a lot of fun trying them!!!  Also, stay tuned, because Dan will be attempting his first home-cooked meal for me on Saturday night, and I will obviously be posting about it!  This was not voluntary on his part; he just owed me for losing our March Madness challenge ;-)

That Little Baking Hobby of Mine: My Favorite Homemade Birthday Cake

I realized that, while I am an obsessive cook {read, BAKER}, I never blog about the things that I make.  My dad's birthday was on Tuesday, so I thought I would share a picture of and a recipe for the cake I made.  I made a similar cake for Dan, only with Kit Kat bars lining the cake vertically on the outside.  Not that I'm biased, but the cake is mouthwateringly delicious!  Thanks, Pinterest, for more amazing inspiration!!!!

A couple of notes on the recipe: when I made the cake over the weekend, I just used this recipe for the cake itself.  However, I have made the entire cake before, and it was out-of-this-world good.  I bought my favorite brand of raspberry jam for this weekend's cake, but then forgot to use it :(

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cake

Makes a two-layer 8" cake {the recipe says 3-layer, but I only use 2}

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cups cocoa powder {I use Hershey's}

2 tsp baking soda

1 cup canola oil

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups water

2 tbsp distilled white wine vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

Raspberry Ganache {if making the entire cake - see link for recipe}

Raspberry jam {I use Bonne Maman, because it reminds me of France :) }

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray or butter two 8" cake pans. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and baking soda into a large bowl.  Beat in the oil and sour cream, followed by the water.  Add the vinegar and vanilla and mix to combine, and, finally, beat in the eggs until the batter is well combined.  Divide among the three cake pans.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a knife comes out almost clean.  Cool in the pans for 20 minutes {side note: being that I am impatient, I typically stick them in the freezer or fridge for a few minutes, probably no longer than 10}, then invert onto a wire rack, letting the cakes cool completely.

Being that the cake is pretty rich, I don't like to overdo it on the frosting.  Soooo....for the outside of the cake, I use Fat Free Cool Whip, and, on top of the cake and in between the two layers, I use chocolate Cool Whip frosting {it can be hard to find, but check in the freezer aisle of your grocery store.  If you're in DC, I have only been able to find it at Social Safeway}.  Cool Whip frosting is relatively new, and is MUCH lighter than regular frosting.  Also, to add a little bit of pizazz, add a layer of raspberry jam in between the layers, on top of the frosting.  I like to garnish the cake with some fresh berries {in this case, I used raspberries, my dad's favorite}, and I decorated this one with some edible gold glitter that I had laying around.  Most importantly, ENJOY the cake!!!!!!

If you are so inclined, this is where I got the inspiration for the Kit Kats.  Oh, and here's a picture of the cake I made this weekend.

Our Super Duper Lake Vacation

I had intended to do a post about the Lake...well, last week, after we got back.  Obviously, life got in the way, so I thought I would pound out a quick post now.  Our long {but, really, short} weekend at Winnipesaukee was everything I had hoped it would be.  We were blessed with THE MOST INCREDIBLE weather imaginable; high 70s, low 80s, not a cloud in the sky {other than when we needed a brief breather from the hot, mid-day sun}, and a soft breeze blowing, and dropping to the 40s and 50s at night.  Seriously, come on.  New England, you're such a flirt.

We all know that sitting around and "relaxing" is not at all my strong suit, although wearing the boot certainly forced me to adopt that lifestyle to a certain extent.  But really, there is nothing like laying out on our ginormous dock for hours on end, reading a book under a perfect blue sky and popping in the water for an occasional swim.  It really doesn't get any better.

Since we really were not on the island for very long {not to mention my mobility was limited}, we didn't really venture out very much.  My dad did take us on a real estate boat tour of the lake {not that we asked for one, but the man is a student of property values, so we humored him}.  I'll hand it to him, he knows where all of the "celebrities" live, although, I don't know that any of us would have the slightest idea if he was wrong.  But really, the best part of the weekend was that I was spending it with some of my very favorite people, and Dan said that it was great for him to be able to picture the place that I have talked about incessantly since, oh, about our second date.  I have a one-track mind, that's for sure.

Leaving the Lake has never been easy for me, particularly when we were there for such a short amount of time.  I also couldn't help but think that, what with the potential changes in our lives over the next year, this one may be our last at the Lake for a while.  I'm holding out hope that we'll make it back next year, mostly because letting go of a place that has been in your life since you were two years old is a tall order.  Every year, it feels like no time at all has passed when we arrive, which is perfect for a person who thrives on routine and consistency.  Other than the consistency, though, it is just SUCH a special place, and certainly makes up the fibers of who I am.

Side note: When my family was up at the Lake, baby bro found out that he is gainfully employed!!!!!! He achieved his dream of moving to NYC, and will be starting work next week! To say that I'm proud of him is an understatement.

Poor Dan endures trial by fire during Lake Golf, a game that, surprisingly, requires no golfing skill

Don't pretend you're not jealous

Rockin' the boot, lovin' life

Finish Line of the Wedding Season

Our wedding season has come to a triumphant end, and, I have to say, I'm a little bit disappointed that I don't have another wedding to look forward to in a few weeks!  This weekend, Trey, Dan's swimming buddy from high school, and his now-wife Ashley got married, and it was, in a word, wonderful.  The reception was at the same golf club where Dan's friend Molly married her husband Weathers earlier this summer, and it was really fun to be back.  Trey and Ashley did some things differently that made it seem as though we were at another venue, so hooray for them for accomplishing that feat!  There was a palpable amount of love in that room, and that, I think, is what makes for the best weddings.  I always enjoy spending time with Dan and his friends, and there was an added bonus at this wedding of his parents and some close family friends being there, so I enjoyed talking to them as well.  As usual, Dan's mom sent us home with several pounds of snacks, which we love her for!!

While I took the doc's advice and wore my boot at the wedding {and was complimented on my commitment to dancing despite the boot, thank you very much}, I definitely overdid it this weekend, between dancing and walking more than I should have.  My body is definitely telling me to slow down this week, so how convenient that I will be going to Winnipesaukee on Thursday, where I will do nothing BUT relax!!

Dan was very sweet and protective of me all weekend as I hobbled around the various wedding weekend events, whether it was helping me down flights of stairs or running back to the car for me to grab things that I had forgotten.  He is a keeper, that one :)  There's a funny thing about weddings, too, that you always fall more deeply in love with your significant other.  The hopeless romantic in me loves that about weddings...so, bring on the next wedding season!!!!!! We've already got three lined up for next summer {one of Dan's friends, one of my friends and two mutual friends}, so I'm sure the promise of those summer celebrations will get us through the dreariness of winter.

Hobbling

I was able to go see a sports medicine specialist yesterday, because my foot pain had been getting progressively worse over the three weeks since it first started.  The doc ordered a second set of X-rays in an attempt to rule out a stress fracture, which he was able to do.  He is now convinced that the pain is tendon-related, mostly because of the location and type of pain I was experiencing when he examined me.  His main concern was that I would rupture the tendon in question, which would have required surgery and what would likely have been a long recovery process.

So...for the next three weeks, I have this fancy shmancy accessory:

This will look lovely with the cocktail dress that I'm wearing to a wedding this weekend ;)

I'm not going to pretend that I wasn't upset about the diagnosis and course of treatment {and yes, I did cry in the doctor's office}, but I had largely gotten all of my tears out of the way over the past week-and-a-half.  For those of you who know me, the order to not exercise, or do any sort of physical activity, is about the equivalent of a death sentence.  I am an incredibly active person, so it is nearly impossible to go from a high level of activity to nothing at all.

Never fear, though, I have developed, with the help of a good friend who broke her foot IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR MARATHON AND FINISHED {seriously, so many street cred points for Lindsay!}, a lifting and stretching routine that will at least make me feel as though I'm doing something other than sitting around and eating bon-bins.  I joked to Dan that I will have my best abs ever at the end of three weeks {highly unlikely, but I'm all about goal-setting here}, and I just did my first day of the routine this morning.  I can essentially work my arms, back and core, so I spent probably 40-45 minutes doing that.  Let me just say that trying to lift that sucker to do bicycle crunches requires a tremendous amount of exertion.  It's heavy!

I'm really trying to take it all in stride, because I would rather follow the doc's orders now and hopefully be out of this boot in three weeks.  Dan and I have even started calling it Das Boot!  But that's not to say that it has all been rainbows and roses.  For one thing, I live in an incredibly hilly neighborhood, so there is no way to avoid one when walking to and from the Metro.  The boot is awkward to walk in, but any unevenness of surface is even more uncomfortable.  I am trying to be very deliberate with how I walk on those surfaces so I don't inadvertently put too much strain on another part of my body.  Secondly, having to rely on creaky, slow-ass Metro elevators is far from ideal.  Thirdly, the psychological component of this injury has probably been the worst.  I exercise daily to keep myself in great cardiovascular shape, but I can't say that I don't enjoy the benefits of having a fit physique.  The thought of losing that has been a lot to handle, but I think that, if I am diligent about my workouts, I'll hopefully be back in fighting shape before I know it.  I am already imagining the moment when I go on my first run, and I can't wait.  I get jealous watching each successive runner file into our gym in the morning! I want to be the one running!!!

Shameless shout-out to Dan for dealing with the crying, depressing mess that I have been over the past couple of weeks.  He is truly the best, and has been so supportive and encouraging as he has witnessed my emotional struggle over this injury.  I can't wait to run together, hopefully sooner rather than later, once Das Boot comes off!!

No Excuses

Hello there, folks! It's me, returned from the land of long-lost bloggers!  It has been an inexcusable amount of time since I blogged, but hopefully, once I summarize my summer for you, you'll forgive me.  The one excuse that I will attempt to give is that this summer has been so jam-packed with activity that, every time I have considered blogging, I have opted not to in the end.  If I'm not feeling it, I'm just not feeling it, and you wouldn't want me to feel burdened by what I'm writing for all of you, right?!?  So, in summary, my summer to date:

• So, Dan and I moved.  Over two months ago.  I love our little apartment {which our friends are seeing for the first time tonight...total fail on our part}, and, more than anything, I love living with my best friend.  Coming home to him is, quite literally, the highlight of every day for me, and moving in together was one of the best decisions we have made.
• As a side note, as much as I LOVE living with Dan, leaving Molly after our time living together was nothing short of excruciating. Sure, we have two fun places that we can now hang out in, but it isn't the same when you can't poke your head in your roomie's room and have girl time with them.  Also, although he insists otherwise, I can feel Dan's eyes of judgment as I nom on cookie dough, cake batter, or the raw form of whatever I happen to be cooking.  Now Molly, that girl doesn't judge and, in fact, sometimes partook in my gluttonous ways with me.
• A week after the move, Dan took, and aced {!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!} the GMAT!  I am so immensely proud of him, and can't to see where this journey takes us next!
• A week after the GMAT, we went to our first of four weddings for the summer, and, the deeper we got in the wedding season, the more I discovered that I just don't have the stamina for that many weddings!  The first was in Pittsburgh for Dan's friend from high school, and it was a wonderful {not to mention beautiful and classy in every way} wedding.  It was a great time, and I enjoyed spending time with Dan's HS friends.  Three weeks later, we were off on a jet plane to Chicago, and holy moley, did we ever fall in love with that city by the lake!  Obviously, I was on Cloud 9 all weekend, because Kristin and Kevin were getting married, and my love was there, AND my favorite ladies were there for our first reunion in two years.  I can't overstate how fantastic this wedding was, and it was such a wonderful experience to be a bridesmaid for my gorgeous Kristin.  It was an absolutely gorgeous wedding in a fabulous city.  Wedding #3 was for my cousin in NY in July, and it didn't disappoint.  It was a blast to see my family, and it was the first time that Dan was meeting many family members.  The wedding, again, was beautiful, and we remarked on the fact that all three weddings have been so DIFFERENT {or, as different as weddings can be}!  Our final wedding of the season is back in Pittsburgh next weekend {actually, at the same venue as the first wedding} for another of Dan's HS friends, and I am so excited.  He is also a groomsman, which, despite the fact that he begrudgingly has to wear a tux, will be so fun for him.  I'll be hanging out with his parents, who will be at the wedding, and all of the other significant others of the groomsmen :)
• I think I deserve a medal for how little I wrote about four weddings. Period.
• After 2.5 years in a job that I was beyond miserable in, I transitioned into a new role in July!  The new job is a similar type of office, and will afford me more opportunities to travel and utilize what I consider to be my best skills.  I am really enjoying the job so far, and will be traveling to my region- the Plains states and parts of Texas!- for a few weeks in September, followed by a week in New England in October. {Sidebar: when they asked me if I was okay with going to New England for a week, I almost laughed in their faces. My beloved New England. In the fall. Foliage. Cold weather.  NO-BRAINER}
• We have watched a lot of baseball this summer, from a trip to Baltimore to watch the Red Sox, to two back-to-back Bucs-Nats games {now THAT, I did not have the stamina for.  I was comatose midway through the second game as a result of still-lingering exhaustion from the previous night, so I had no chance the day after the second game}, to two Bucs games at PNC {with the second likely to come next weekend}.
• I have really been rolling up my sleeves and getting creative with cooking {read: baking with some cooking sprinkled in} this summer.  All I have to say is, thank God for Pinterest.  That is all.  And so, my "food bragger" tendencies have been stretched to the limit, as I document nearly every new item that I make.  Some highlights included homemade gnocchi {and yes, Dan was an excellent co-chef!}, and his recent birthday cake, which I made for his 26th birthday {!!!} last week.
• I had an interesting tubing trip to Harpers Ferry in July, during which we lost a person.  We did not literally lose him {meaning, he did not perish}, but he did have to swim to shore and faced a several-mile, shoeless walk.  I'll leave it at that. It was an interesting day.
• There have been way too many goodbyes this summer, with several good friends leaving DC for grad school opportunities.  Isn't it the rule that, if you lose people, you should get at least that many close friends back in your city???
• My friend Kate was doing a law school internship here in DC for the summer, so I suppose she counts as a temporary transplant to DC :-) It was a blast to have her here, especially since one of her M.O. is exploring new restaurants.  Kate, thank you for your foodie ways!
• Last weekend, Dan and I went to Kings Dominion, and I officially conquered my fear of roller coasters!!! I went on three upside-down roller coasters, thank you very much :p
• Two weeks from now, I am going to the LAKE!  Now, because of some obligations with my new job, I am not able to take a full week off, but I will get a long weekend.  Plus, Dan has signed on to come with me, which I am thrilled about.  Since we started dating {almost 2.5 years ago- yikes!}, it has been my dream to have him come to the Lake.  I swear, if the weather is crummy, I will be one cranky lady.
• I am sure that there are many major things that I am forgetting, but the moments that have stuck with me the most about the summer have been the little moments with family, friends and Dan.  To be surrounded by the people you love, man, there's nothing better!  I sure am a lucky girl :-)
• My summer obviously would not have been complete without yet another scintillating season of The Bachelorette.  I hate myself for watching it, but I literally can't stop.  Oh well.

Lastly, I am waiting for X-ray results, which will tell me if I have a broken foot {the probable result of overuse during my 40+ mile/week running binge of this summer}.  Keep your fingers crossed, friends, because those of you who know me will can attest to the fact that I am a cranky pain in the ass when I can't exercise.  I'm hoping it's something like tendonitis {plantar fasciitis, which would be only somewhat less acceptable, would be more expensive, as it would require that I purchase orthodics worth hundreds of dollars for my running shoes. No thank you}.  Also, I am registered for the Army Ten-Miler in late October, and it is my goal to run that race.  Just throwing that out there.

Anywho, I sincerely hope that I will blog sooner than two months from now, but, what with my work and personal travel schedule, I can't make any promised.  At some point, I will post some pictures that encapsulate my summer, but hopefully you enjoyed this longer-than-necessary post!

I Can Has Caffeine?

Hello, friends.  After a whopping 9.5 hours total of sleep over the past two nights, updating this blog is all that I can do to stay awake.  It is on days like these that I wish I had developed a coffee dependency in college, but, sadly for me, I can't stand the stuff.  So I must soldier on and get through this day with a foggy, heavy head and no caffeine.  The causes for the late nights have been the following: a Nats game on Tuesday that we got home from at about 11 due to our Metro train being off-loaded...grrrrrrr.  Last night, the Pens and Bruins played Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Championships, and the game went to double-OT.  I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I had missed the end, so I stayed up, with a quick 20-minute cat nap in between the first and second OT periods, that Dan assures me that I was out like a light for.  Well, our Pens lost, and we didn't get to sleep until about 12:30.  WOMPPPPPPP.

Anyway, I promised to talk about a plethora of things, so let's see if I can remember back to the last time that I posted:

Tim's Georgetown graduation was the weekend before Memorial Day weekend, and, being that family members on both sides had other commitments, it was mostly our little foursome, aside from a brief cameo by my uncle Ed.  On Friday night, we had a nice dinner together and then went to Senior Ball, which, after going my senior year and falling in love with it, I practically forced Tim to attend {in the end, though, I think he realized that essentially EVERYONE was there}.  I never turn down an opportunity to bust out the long, formal gown that I bought for my Senior Ball, and it was nice to see family friends and Tim's roommates, along with their families.

Tim and some of his roommates at Senior Ball

Family at Senior Ball

On Saturday, we all grabbed brunch at Metro 29 {we don't need a fancy brunch haha} and then putzed around before Tim's graduation ceremony.  The Business School had a 6:00 p.m. graduation, and the weather looked more and more threatening as the day went on.  They made the call at 4 that graduation would be out on the lawn, and, as we walked outside to snag some seats, we found that it was raining.  Bummah.  We still had two hours to kill and were likely to get soaked, and, more importantly, I felt awful for the graduates, who, I imagined, would not have umbrellas with them.  Luckily, it only sprinkled a little bit as we waited, and the rain held off during the ceremony.  Alleluia!  I was so proud of my baby brother as he walked across the stage and was incorrectly hooded by a professor who was probably 8 inches shorter than him.  The perils of being tall!  But anyway, I am so proud of everything he has accomplished, and I have no doubt that he will continue to do great things.

After taking the requisite pictures, we grabbed dinner, and, just like that, with absolutely no fuss, graduation weekend was over.  While I loved having so many family members at my graduation, there is definitely something to be said for having an intimate group.  It was such a special weekend, though, given that now 3 out of the 4 of us in our little family have gone to Georgetown.  It is a tradition that I have been so honored to share with my dad, Tim, and other family members who have gone here.

So proud of our graduate!

Totally posed

Filing in

The Lake siblings, all grown up!

In my next post, I will bring you up to speed on our move {!!!!!!!!}, which, as you will remember, had me all riled up and nervous.

Radio Silence

Hello, dear readers!  I am truly sorry for all of the silence on my end over the past few weeks.  Between Tim's graduation, mentally preparing for moving, ACTUALLY moving and managing a heavier-than-usual workload, I have had approximately ZERO time and motivation to blog.  However, I promise that I will blog soon with updates on all of the above (and more).

In the meantime, I would love for all of you to follow my blog on Bloglovin', which I have transitioned to as Google Reader becomes obsolete.  Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Laughter

Dan: What are you up to tonight?

Me: I'm just making your surprise!

Dan: Oh man, I'm excited.  Is it cake? Cookies? Cupcakes? Pie?

Me: Oh, it's all of the above.  After some careful research, I've managed to create a hybrid of those four.

Dan: A piecakie?

And THAT is why I love him :-)

Embracing Your Imperfections {and seeing yourself for the person you truly are}

I'm sure you have all been hearing a lot about the Dove Real Beauty sketch video over the past few months. I have been doing a lot of thinking about how to challenge my self-image, those descriptors that, if I uttered them, would probably cause the artist in the video {who is very talented, by the way} to sketch an image of me that is far from being true-to-life. I am certainly guilty of caving to body insecurity, and, being that it was something that I struggled with as a teenager and throughout college, it is difficult to break that terrible habit of self-scrutiny.  However, for every perceived "flaw" that I have identified, I have tried to come up with a challenge, a benefit of that seemingly imperfect feature.  To give a few examples:

• Perceived flaw: I have inherited unfortunately large thighs. BENEFIT: I would not have been able to run 26.2 miles on tiny little thighs.  Large runners' thighs are a symbol of my strength.
• Perceived flaw: My hair is voluminous and unruly. BENEFIT: There are so many women with thinning hair who would kill to have the kind of volume that I have.  I have natural volume without using volumizing shampoos or serums.  Also, I am convinced that whoever created straighteners did it just for me and my naturally wavy locks :)
• Perceived flaw: The fact that I have to wear glasses is not that fun.  BENEFIT: However, I have learned from my dear Dan that my eyes actually change color from blue to green depending on the day, which I think is pretty darned awesome.  So even though I may begrudge my eyes for not being able to see very well or tolerate contacts all the time, I still think they're pretty cool.
• Perceived flaw: I have enormous feet {I typically wear size 11, but have to bump it up to 12 for my running shoes}.  BENEFIT: Okay, I can't spin this one haha.  It sucks to have feet this big {even though they are proportional to my height}, especially when trying to find cute, fashionable shoes.

So what am I trying to say here?  I am telling you to challenge those negative statements, voiced or not, about your own appearance.  I'm not going to lie, on more days than not, I hate those thighs, but this was the body that I was given, so I might as well accept it {while still exercising and trying to eat healthy foods, of course!}.  My favorite part of the Dove video was when the women compared the images of themselves, the one based on their own description of themselves and the other as they actually appear to others.  After witnessing the internal struggle of each of the women beating herself up for a perceived flaw, it was so heartwarming for them to see how others view them {and, in all of the cases, they were significantly more beautiful!}. 

Also, while flat-chestedness might be in that "flaw" category for most people, I have always seen it as a benefit. I can fit into anything without spilling out of it, and I can run without serious discomfort {or multiple sports bras}! Win!  So ladies and gents, remember, despite all of those ads that tell you that you need to change something {or many somethings} about yourself, try to love the body you were born with.  

Everybody's Working for the Weekend

I am at work today, supervising some interviews, and thought I would share some quick thoughts from this week:

• Now that I'm back on gluten, my stomach has been going haywire.  I have done my best to limit my gluten intake, so I can't tell if the stomach discomfort has been due to my poor little stomach not being starved anymore or whether I may actually have a gluten intolerance.  Stay tuned, folks...
• I had my first Rent the Runway experience this week.  We received an invitation to Dan's friend's wedding in June and it is black-tie, so I knew I needed to buy a long dress.  My cousin Ashley works at RTR, so I had it in the back of my mind as a possibility.  I was able to find this GORGEOUS {and totally fierce} Trina Turk dress that I am beyond excited to wear for the wedding!  Plus, it was only $85 to rent, so that was a major win!
• My baby brother is graduating from college in two weeks, and I am a wreck.  I can't believe he won't be able to pop in to my office unannounced {not that he did that very often anyway haha} or grab lunch with me, and, while I'm so excited for him to go out into the world, I'm beyond bummed that he's heading to New York the first chance that he gets.
• Finally, last night was a very exciting night, because Dan's and my parents got to meet for the first time!  You may be asking yourself why it took over two years for them to meet, but the truth is that there was never an ideal time.  Now that Dan's parents are living down here, I hope we'll all be able to get together more often.  The dinner was really wonderful, everyone got along great {just like I knew they would}, and I even spied our moms exchanging numbers! I was so excited, mostly because I think they could both really use someone to pal around with, and go on walks and museums with.  It warmed my heart to see everyone together last night :)

I hope everyone has a splendid weekend! I wish I could be outside enjoying this gorgeous day!

The Fast is Over!

My darling readers, I am happy to announce that, as of today, I can eat gluten again!!!!!! I have not actually eaten any gluten yet, because I still have about four boxes of Cinnamon Chex left, and will force myself to eat them until they're gone, and a bowl of homemade, gluten-free veg chili seemed like the perfect lunch.  However, I fully plan on noshing on either pizza or pasta for dinner :-) Luckily, Dan is more than willing to be my accomplice in breaking my gluten-free fast diet.

If you're doing the mental math an are thinking to yourself that it has been a mere month, rather than six weeks, since I went off of gluten, I decided that I was miserable enough that a month was going to be sufficient for me.  I gave it my all, but the gluten-free lifestyle isn't for me.  I am your classic type-A, routine-driven, slightly obsessive-compulsive gal, so giving up on things is never an option for me.  However, I felt like this diet was jeopardizing my health and happiness, so, once I made it past the month marker, I had to make the decision that was the best for my mental and physical health.  Maybe someday I will make a career out of concocting gluten-free recipes that are actually tasty {and, in particular, developing palatable gluten-free alternatives to things like pizza and pasta}.  But, for now, I am back on the stuff.

That being said, the one lesson that I am taking away from this monthlong adventure is that I do want to be more conscious of the amount of gluten that I am ingesting, because I think that there can be too much of a good thing {especially since my metabolism will eventually slow down}.  While this gluten-free diet was NEVER about losing weight and, on the contrary, aimed to find a solution to some long-undiagnosed stomach issues, it did make me take pause to consider my food choices. I want to make a more conscious effort to build better lifelong eating habits {i.e. not binge-eating sugar as frequently, cooking more, hydrating} so that, when combined with my love for exercise, I never feel like I need to go on a crash diet.  When we first discussed the realities of living together, I told Dan that it was my sincere goal that living together would drive us to cook more often.  While it may be difficult to find recipes that appeal to both my beloved omnivore and myself, the veg-head, I am committed to doing that.  That's what Pinterest is for, people!!!

I am already about 1,000 times happier now that I will not spend my days wanting to eat my own fist- can you tell?!? ;)

1 MONTH!!

That would be one month until our big move!!! I have begun the process of securing the paperwork to move out of my current apartment, and have already reserved the elevators at the new place for our move-in weekend.  It is finally starting to feel real, and both Dan and I are counting down the days until we get to see each other every day!! Dan is also terrified by excited about the Google spreadsheet I put together that has a rough outline of what we have/what we need for the apartment, obviously broken out by room.  And yes, funny you ask, we did spend about five minutes last night debating the pros and cons of one DC-themed poster versus another...

In other news, screechhhhhh, slow down, because, a weekend before we move, my baby brother is graduating from college.  I have been in a deep depression about this fact for some time now, and that sentiment was deepened on Tuesday when we had our "Lake Family Dinner," which includes all five of the kids who go up to the Lake every year {all of us go/went to Georgetown, which, I admit, is rather cultish}.  Anyway, Tim, Jack and Patrick, all of whom are graduating this year {along with Alexa, Jack's girlfriend, who was also at dinner with us} were so depressing at dinner, because all of them were starting to get really nostalgic, with just a few weeks remaining in their college careers.  Suddenly, I was the "sage older sister," dispensing my advice after nearly three years in the workforce, and damn, was it tough for me to burst their fragile little bubbles.  I can still remember all of the optimism that I felt upon graduating, but that optimism soon turned to pessimism, and I haven't talked to a single person my age who didn't have the exact same experience.  The realization that you cannot change the world is a pretty depressing one.  Anyway, I'm hoping we'll have the chance to get the entire group together once more before the boys go their separate ways!

Finally, I am on the fence on a daily basis about whether or not to continue with the gluten-free thing.  I have yet to crack, but I'm getting pretty sick of the now-constant feeling that my stomach may be eating itself, and the lightheadedness that accompanies it.  Why people do this as a method of losing weight, I have no idea, because it is quite the miserable existence.  I want to make it at least a month {just to say that I did}, so that would put us at Tuesday.  I haven't made up my mind, though, because, by that point, I will have less than two weeks left.  I think it will depend on my state of misery that day.  He has been a trooper, but I think Dan will be relieved once this whole experiment is over because the incessant hangry {hungry + angry} whining will come to an end.  I'm taking suggestions for what my first meal back should be.  My frontrunners so far?  French Toast from Metro 29, pizza from District of Pie/Mellow Mushroom/2 Amy's, any kind of baked good, pasta {I've had a craving for Maggiano's gnocchi for a few weeks}.  I know that I won't be able to go too crazy right away, both for the sanity of my stomach and in the interest of fitting in to the dresses I am wearing to the four weddings we're going to this summer.

On the road again...

Since I have been so busy over the last few weeks, I have {shocker} been a delinquent blogger, but I have a few really fun weekend trips to catch all of you up on!

Two weekends ago, Dan and I did an overnight in lovely Sperryville, Virginia, at a really cute B&B near the base of Old Rag.  Despite the fact that they strangely did not have us down for a reservation {I was sitting next to Dan when he made the reservation online, so I could fully attest to the fact that he had made one}, they luckily still had the space to accommodate us, and offered us one of their cabin rooms adjacent to the house, which suited us just fine.  We were up at an ungodly hour for a Saturday {6:15, because we know how crowded these trail parking lots tend to get the later you depart} but were luckily able to have a farm-fresh breakfast before we left.  The hike through White Oak Canyon was difficult {5 hours long and very rocky, not to mention lots of steep uphill climbing} but beautiful, with several picturesque waterfalls along the way.  It was such a romantic getaway, and I appreciated all of the thought that Dan had put into it, from finding the B&B to zeroing in on a hike that he thought I would love.

This past weekend, we traveled back to Pittsburgh, where we hadn't been together in over a year.  Dan's parents were actually at home that weekend for a gala that they were attending, so we got to spend quality time with them.  Dan's mom absolutely spoiled me with gluten-free goodies, which is just one example of how thoughtful she is.  We were all kind of still reeling from the events in Boston, especially given the fact that the second suspect had been apprehended while we were driving, so we all stayed up watching the news.

On Saturday, we got to sleep in a little bit, which we both sorely needed, and then, along with Leslie, met up with Dan's grandparents for lunch.  It was my first time meeting them, and I had been excited to do so for quite some time.  They were so sweet, and it was such a treat for me to finally get to meet Grammy and Grandpa.  Afterward, we gave Mt. Washington another try {if you will remember, it hailed on us when we tried to get a panoramic view of the city from atop the mountain when we were in the 'burgh last year}, this time with a much more favorable result, and then wandered around the very impressive Andy Warhol Museum for the remainder of the afternoon.  I was threatening to break my gluten-free diet because of how badly I wanted to go to Dan's favorite Italian restaurant, but, in the end, I held fast and we settled for a delicious seafood dinner.  Then, we came home, immediately put on our pajamas, and kicked back with some drinks and cookies to watch the Pens game.  When Dan's parents arrived home from the gala, they found us watching home movies from when Dan was a baby.  Seriously, my heart was melting...he was such a cutie pie, and such a sweet little boy {not much has changed, since he's still handsome and sweet}.  Pete rolled his eyes, and Leslie was both shocked and impressed that I had convinced Dan to let me watch the videos.  

On Sunday morning, we went to the gym and then had a delicious frittata breakfast before heading to the Bucs game.  It was my first game at PNC, and it was so much fun! Dan's family has a share in season tickets, and the seats are incredible, seven rows behind the Pirate dugout, and with a great view of the city skyline.  We all got a little bit sunburned, a sure sign that we have our work cut out for us this summer by the pool, what with our pale, pale winter skin.

I could not have asked for a better weekend.  There is nothing better than a quiet weekend away to spend with the person you love, and I felt like I peeled back a few more Dan layers this weekend by meeting a few new members of his family and by watching baby videos of him.  I am so excited for all of the changes that will happen in just over a month when we move in together, and I can tell how psyched he is as well.  I can't wait to see my guy every day!!

Trying to Make Sense of a Tragedy

via A Blog About Love

I promise I will post about our hiking adventure from this past weekend, but I am writing with a truly heavy heart this morning and wanted to address those feelings first.

As all of you are probably aware, two bombs wreaked havoc yesterday near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three and wounding more than 120, nearly 20 critically.  The attacks occurred on Patriot Day, better known as "Marathon Monday." Patriot Day is the most sacred of days in Massachusetts, with the entire state taking a day off from work and school to celebrate the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the start of the Revolutionary War.  The day truly does capture the extreme pride of the citizens of Massachusetts, who ring in the day by tuning in to the afternoon Sox game and the running of the Boston Marathon.  The bombs that ripped through crowds of innocent bystanders yesterday shattered the sacredness of the day.

On a personal level, while I may not live there anymore, Massachusetts is the state where I grew up, and it will always profoundly affect how I view myself.  To illustrate this, my Massachusetts license is due to expire next March, and I would rather not have a valid ID than have to trade in my Massachusetts ID for a Virginia one.  They can punch a hole in it, rendering it useless, but I refuse to fork it over.  The type of pride instilled in every "Masshole" for our beloved state is something that you can't really put into words.  Many people have a strong allegiance to their city, but mine is statewide, and, better said, region-wide.

A very close friend of mine was at the finish yesterday, watching a friend run.  Thankfully, through the magic of Facebook, I was able to see that she was fine.  However, when I texted her to tell her how glad I was that she was okay, she told me that she had left the blast site mere minutes before the bombs went off, joking that she had wanted ice cream and that that was the first time when her sweet tooth had been legitimately good for her health.  I am so grateful that she is okay, but my heart is broken for the families of the dead and of those still fighting for their lives.  My thoughts and prayers are with all of them as they struggle to make sense of lives cut short.  The fact that an eight year-old child was among the dead is truly sickening.  When will our children cease to be targets of acts of violence??? When will parents stop outliving their children?

Having run my first marathon exactly a month ago today, I tried to put myself in the runners' place, that of complete confusion in the face of sheer exhaustion.  The fatalistic part of me can't help but think, 'What if that had been my race? What if that had been my parents, my boyfriend and my friends at the finish?'  The thought that you could be putting yourself in danger of a terrorist attack just by going out for a run is enough to strike fear into any runner's heart.  But runners are a strange breed. We do what we do for reasons that we cannot really explain to anyone else.  There were so many stories of heroic runners who, immediately after finishing the race, continued running to Mass General in order to give blood.  So, even in the face of this tragedy, I choose to run.  I run for Massachusetts, I run for Boston, and I run for the innocent lives lost.  That's about the best that any of us can do.

Going Gluten-Free: My Takeaways So Far

I am nearly two weeks in to this gluten-free adventure, and I thought I would share some of my thoughts and observations about it:

• I am CONSTANTLY hungry! Typically, I have a really small lunch {i.e. a piece of fruit} and opt for a larger breakfast and dinner, but since I've been on this gluten-free diet, I've noticed that lunch can't come soon enough.  I am practically famished by 10 a.m.  Not that weight loss was my aim at all, but I can definitely see how a diet like this could be effective, because I feel like my clothes already fit a little more loosely.  I have been trying to eat protein-rich foods like quinoa, beans and cottage cheese, in the hope that they will fill me up, but to no avail.
• I am also constantly tired.  A lot of people cite a gluten-free diet as a way to boost their energy level, and I have found the opposite to be the case.  You are all well aware of my 5 a.m. workout routine, and I have had to drag myself out of bed every morning since going gluten-free.  I am also a lot more tired during the day.  I blame the constant hunger.  Strangely, my runs have not really suffered too much...
• I detest rice flour.  I gave it the good ole college try and attempted gluten-free pizza crust at Mellow Mushroom {which is made from rice flour and tapioca, the latter of which is one of the more disgusting things I have ever tried}, and even attempted to bake some chocolate chip cookies with it last night, but it is some seriously disgusting stuff.  My cookies were such disappointing, flat little cookies, as opposed to the gooey, fluffy cookies that I usually make.  Baking fail :(
• I had these grand plans to make some nut-free, gluten-free granola for our hiking trip this weekend, which I attempted last night.  Before I went to the grocery store on Monday to buy the ingredients, I had one glass of wine at happy hour, but apparently that one glass went straight to my head.  Not only did I accidentally not buy gluten-free oats {the ones I bought are not in and of themselves gluten-rich, but may contain traces of wheat, and apparently oats are very easily cross-contaminated}, but they are also steel-cut oats, which are not at all conducive to making granola.  Needless to stay, the granola does not stick together very well.  I blame my perpetually hungry tummy for the apparently strong effects of the wine.  Seriously, people, one glass.  While eating food.  Sipped over an hour or so.  Sheesh.  Gluten-free baking - 2, Kristen - 0.

As you can see, I am feeling rather disgruntled with this diet adventure right now, so I have my eye on the May 12th prize.  I think I will be the happiest person in the world that day!

Life Updates

I thought I would give you all a quick run-down of everything that has been going on lately in the District:

• Spring is *ACTUALLY* here! It is due to get into the 80s today, which suits me just fine.  However, it is amazing that Washingtonians get excited for weather like this, knowing full well that those hot-as-Hades days are just around the corner...DC just seems to have had new life breathed in to it, though, because everyone is outside, whether exercising, chatting with friends or socializing at a happy hour, and it just gives you the warm fuzzies!
• The cherry blossoms are sort of out! We went to see them this weekend {Dan, ever the boy, had never seen them in his 8 years of living in DC, so I told him that he wouldn't be considered a true Washingtonian until he had seen them} and there were very few buds.  Dan's description of them as "twigs" wasn't too far off the mark, because cooler days have kept those babies from blooming.  The next few days are supposed to be great in terms of blossoms, though!
• This gluten-free thing is totally kicking my ass.  I am starving all.the.time.  However, we're going hiking this weekend, so I'm picking up some certified gluten-free oats, honey, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and chocolate to make some homemade nut-free, gluten-free granola, and I'm excited to try it! I also bought some rice flour, so may try to do some baking and see how well gluten-free flour works as a substitute.  If I end up liking the recipe, I will post it!
• Speaking of hiking, this weekend is when I get to redeem my birthday present from Dan: a stay in what looks to be an adorable little inn and a waterfall-filled hike.  The forecast for Saturday looks great at this point, so I'm crossing my fingers for warm-ish temperatures and no rain! Hiking is one of my very favorite activities, so I'm so grateful that Dan enjoys it as well!
• Following my first outdoor brunch of the year over Easter weekend, my friend Lindsay and I did our first outdoor happy hour at Commissary.  People, I'm telling you, if you have not tried it, their veggie burger {which has a quinoa base} is TO DIE FOR.  Yes, it did hurt slightly to have to order it without the bun, but the awesomeness of the burger outweighed any sadness I felt.
• Oh, and, one last thing: WE HAVE AN APARTMENT!!!!!!!!! We went to visit two places on Sunday that I had already looked at, and, luckily, Dan and I liked the same one.  We I already can't wait to decorate, have an apartment-warming party, and spend lazy summer afternoons using the grills in the courtyard and lazing by the amazing pool, Daisy Buchanan-style.  We are moving in towards the end of May, and we are just giddy with excitement {okay, giddy is maybe not an emotion that I would attribute to guys, but let's just leave it at the fact that Dan is really excited too}.  The fact that we have an apartment and a move-in date makes it all the more real, and I can't wait to have him as my roommate in less than two months! Also, fun fact: as an adult, I will now have lived in DC, Maryland AND Virginia.  

I'm definitely in busy mode at work and in my personal life right now, but the weather is getting better, I only have 5 weeks left of this pesky gluten-free diet, and I'm moving in with the love of my life.  I'm not about to complain! 

My Latest Diet Adventure

I have struggled with mysterious stomach ailments for years.  Being that a stomach issue could be attributed to one of hundreds of conditions, the easiest way to determine what is plaguing you, once you have gotten bloodwork done, is by eliminating certain foods from your diet.

Celiac disease runs in my family {my Grampsy has it}, and, while I tested negative for celiac, my doctor recommended that I try a gluten-free diet to try and rule out a gluten intolerance.  For those of you who are not familiar, there are three different conditions that all fall more or less under the same umbrella; celiac, an autoimmune disorder that manifests itself in complete gluten intolerance {in other words, ANY gluten is a no-no}; gluten intolerance is a spectrum disorder that can range in severity {in other words, the less severe your intolerance, the more gluten you can eat}; and a gluten allergy.  The problem with all of these is that they are very difficult to test for.

The real kicker was when my doctor told me that I would have to be on this diet for SIX WEEKS {yes, sadly, you read that correctly}, because that is how long it takes gluten to get out of your system.  I felt like crying in the doctor's office at the thought of giving up gluten-filled foods for that long.  Yes, I am able to successfully give up sweets for Lent every year, but I usually overcompensate by overloading on other carbs.  Now, that is not an option, so my mission this week is to come up with some snacks that will fill me up during the day.  I have to say, though, I am really excited to have an excuse to try out the gluten-free foods at the grocery store, because I'm really curious about how good they are.  Whole Foods has gluten-free cupcakes, which could prove to be dangerous...

To be honest, though, my stomach has felt remarkably better since my race.  I have heard from many a runner how you put your stomach through the wringer during marathon training, and I can certainly attest to that fact now.  I am hopeful that the lack of race training {mind you, I am still running, because, being the crazy person that I am, I went for my first run a mere four days after my race} and the more mindful eating will help reset my system.  Also, I have the incredible resource of Pinterest at my disposal to help me find recipes that look delicious and also happen to be gluten-free :)

But frankly, right now, I'm starving...HAHA

Hunting

House hunting, that is!!!!  After several months of waiting, I can finally share, since family and close friends know, that DAN AND I ARE MOVING IN TOGETHER!!!!! I have been on Cloud 9 since we decided back in December that we were going to move in together once Dan's lease expired in May, but now the apartment search has finally begun, and it's all feeling so real.

This is definitely not a decision that either of us made lightly, because living together is a very significant step in our relationship.  Neither of us has ever lived with a significant other before, so we have thought long and hard about this over the course of our relationship.

I am so overwhelmingly excited to be able to wake up and fall asleep beside my best friend and love of my life every day, be there when the other gets home to compare notes on our days, not have to live out of a suitcase when shuttling back and forth between each other's places, and not have to say goodbye at the end of the night. I can't wait to live in a place that's ours, cook in our kitchen, lounge on our couch, spend our summer afternoons relaxing by our pool.   

Sure, there are parts of this next step that I'm nervous about, the primary one being the search process.  I have looked at a few apartments already {and have shortlisted a few}, and we'll be going to look at some others this weekend.  I think I will feel less unsettled when I actually know for sure where we'll be living.  And part of me worries that my extreme cleanliness and abundance of home cooking will be too much for Dan.

You know what, though? I'm so excited to embark on this adventure together, whatever joys and challenges it may bring!

A Quarter-Century Old

I finally have a moment to come up for air today after a VERY hectic week!  I thought I would write about the goings-on of the past week, since there were many of them.

I had a really tough week at work last week.  Work seemed to come flying at me all at once, and I definitely was not managing that stress well.  I had a meltdown of sorts on Wednesday night because of how overwhelmed I was by work stress {which was compounded by the fact that I was out of the office on Friday working a wedding}, stress about that wedding {my first as a day-of coordinator}, and stress tied to feeling like I was coming up short in my many roles- friend, daughter, sister and girlfriend.  Sensing that I am failing other people is definitely a feeling that I am very conscious of, but, during this meltdown, I had to remind myself that I can't always be everything to everyone.  There just isn't enough time in the day!  But, in moments when I am stressed about other things, that anxiety tends to resurface as well.  Poor Dan, he is such a saint for putting up with my stressed-out crying fits.  I don't like to let my work/life stress spill over to our relationship, because I know that it makes him sad to see me upset, but sometimes that just can't be helped.  I thank my lucky stars for that guy every day, I really do!

On Thursday night, I headed up to the Philly area after work for the wedding, and, due to a series of GPS mishaps, ended up driving for about 4 hours.  It was miserable, let me tell you, and I had my very patient and understanding parents on the phone for the better part of an hour-and-a-half trying to get me to Point B in one piece.  I ended up spending a LOT of time in the car on Thursday, Friday {when the wedding took place} and Saturday, both because of the driving time to and from PA and the fact that none of the venues were close to one another.  I think that was the most I have driven in the past five years combined haha!  Despite the fact that there are always unexpected things that come up at a wedding, it was a beautiful day overall and the couple was deliriously happy, so I would consider it a success.

On Saturday, Dan and I met up with Lauren and Molly at District of Pi for dinner.  Dan and I are obsessed with that place, and it was the girls' first time, so it was well worth it!  We then stopped off at Lauren's house before heading to Brass Monkey in Admo for some birthday karaoke.  Now, Brass Monkey has been one of our mainstays since graduation, but this was the first time, as we all stood around, that we noticed how downright grimy that place is! We concluded that the amount of alcohol that we had imbibed on previous visits had probably contributed to that oversight.  Our other observation was that the crowd seemed a lot younger {as in, either still in college or not far removed from it}.  It is tough to be hit by the realization that you're getting older!  Nonetheless, I felt so blessed to have so many wonderful friends there, and I think we got some solid karaoke in as well :)

Sunday, on my actual birthday, Dan and I slept in a bit before going on a run {I think I am the only person who requests going on a run when asked what they want to do on their birthday haha}.  We grabbed bagels  from our favorite bagel place, my last bagel run for awhile since I'm going on a six-week gluten-free diet a week from yesterday.  Blargh.  Then, we watched some basketball and Skyfall and later met up with my parents and Tim at Farmers, Fishers & Bakers, which I have raved about before.  It certainly didn't disappoint this time, bringing an absolutely delightful birthday to a close.  Not that he doesn't treat me like a princess all the time, but Dan was really the greatest this weekend.  I actually got upset because I don't like being treated to things haha, even on my birthday!  He got me an overnight hiking trip {not to worry, we will be staying at a B&B, not in a tent on a trail} out in the Shenandoahs, which shows you how well he knows me.  We have been in serious need of a getaway for awhile, and he knows how much I've been itching for a hike.  We're going in about 3 weeks, so I'm really psyched for that!  Overall, I was blown away, as usual, by the heartfelt messages and calls that I received on my birthday.  It made the day so special for me, and the fact that so many people reached out made turning 25 slightly easier {I may have fake snapped at Dan when he playfully suggested that I am almost 30 haha}.

Me and my ladies! Don't let this picture fool you, there were other guys there besides Dan.  He was just the only one who wasn't able to stealthily avoid my photos ;)