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!