Summer's a-blazin...and almost over and out

Admittedly, blogging is not my strongest skill.  Perhaps it has something to do with the dinosaur vintage laptop I still use, which seemingly takes forever to do anything ?  Or the fact that I mostly use my beloved iPhone these days for all things internet related and haven't downloaded the blogger app yet. Anyway, enough with the excuses.  Here's a rundown of all that's been going down over the past {three} months.

It's no secret that I am a big fan of good food and thankfully (though a bit regrettably) DC has tons of great restaurants.  Slowly but surely I'm eating my way through this city. Shake Shack made it's debut a couple of months ago along with Pinkberry (still not Yogurtland, but their salted chocolate carmel is divine)and Serendipity3. At Ted's Bulletin, my dining companion and I were daring and tried the PB&J burger. The verdict? Pretty tasty, if you are into sweet + savory. And then there's the ridiculous infatuation this place has with cupcakes so of course that means I've been to Georgetown Cupcake, Baked & Wired and Crumbs. It's easier to justify when you bike to these places, right?



Shake Shack picnic @ Dupont



For Memorial day weekend, I went to Duck Beach, aka Mormon Spring Break. I had no idea what to expect, since I have heard approximately 68 different opinions about this annual event.  Luckily Jill, Summer and Nicole decided to make the journey from Phoenix, so I knew it was going to be fun no matter what. The weekend definitely exceeded my expectations and was really just what I needed: time with good friends and lounging on the beach.

The downside to the weekend was that I was a total gimp.  A few weeks leading up to the trip I managed to get a stress fracture (or something similarly painful) in my right foot. Despite limping, very slowly all weekend and being hopped up on Ibuprofen, I still managed to have one of the best weekends I've had in I don't know how long. There were numerous mobile dance parties, late nights, and quality time spent consuming Jill's no-bakes. Still my favorite. It also made me realize just how much I miss my amigas, which prompted me to start planning our next beach rendezvous basically the day I got home from NC.




Say Anything throwback, 2011 style

 
June was spent working back at the same temp job that I was at in March, April and part of May. I had a 3 week break and was asked to come back. Definitely a love/hate relationship because the job itself was so boring, but money has proven to be quite necessary these days. 



practicing our smiling. he's got it down.



Also in June I started working for a family who lives in NW DC taking care of their newborn baby boy, staying the night to wake up for feedings, etc. After working my 9-5 job, I would Metro to their house a couple of times a week. At first I wasn't so sure about this gig, but decided to try it out.  Although exhausting, I've actually enjoyed it and learned a lot and feel more confident about having my own infant - someday.  My temp job ended two weeks ago and I've just been taking care of the baby. I no longer stay the night, which means my quality of life has improved dramatically and I no longer feel like a sleep deprived zombie. It's also made it easier to continue job searching and interviewing since I have so much more free time during the day. Sometimes things just work out. A lot better than we can anticipate.



baby J



I  took a much needed trip to the West Coast at the end of June/beginning of July. I flew to PHX, where I was able to spend a little time with the fam, hit up Last Chance (2X, naturally), see T'liese and get a haircut. You know, cover all the basics.  After roughly 24 hours in the inferno, Jill, Summer and I peaced out to So Cal for cooler temps and some R&R. 

Instead of just hanging around Huntington Beach, we decided to spend a couple of days closer to LA. Friday we explored Santa Barbara, which has been on my list for years now. It is a super charming, quaint town that I would highly recommend.  Saturday we hit up Malibu, where we encountered LOTS of paparrazi (they were waiting for Paris Hilton, who we caught a glimpse of, at what appeared to be a staged party. whoopee).

Sunday we made our way to HB for church, and stayed to celebrate America's bday the next day.  Props to that city; they really know how to do Independence Day right. Flags galore, firework light displays, lots of patriotic displays in yards - they take the holiday very seriously. We spent the day at the beach, basking in the sun, and I was beyond ecstatic to boogie board. Fact: one of my favorite memories ever was when I spent, not exaggerating, 5 hours boogie boarding in Hawaii. I felt completely nostalgic and happy that the water was warm enough in HB to get in b/c it's usually frigid. Also, notably, the first year, probably ever, I wasn't sweating profusely while watching fireworks. I was actually chilly. So great.  Before we rolled out of town on Tues. we stopped at Balboa Island for lunch and of course, our favorite - balboa bars.

beautiful Balboa



Temps in DC in July were insane! No escaping the heat.



Favorite Pastime

And it's not baseball.  My absolute most favorite thing to do now that it's warm outside is to go for a bike ride.  I simply cannot get enough.  I love the tranquility of going by myself + pondering about life or letting Pandora entertain me with some jams as I cruise around in the sunshine. And then there's biking with friends, which is a blast and takes me back to my childhood and simpler times. Sometimes there are night rides, which remind me of summer vacation, freedom, and little to no responsibility. Therapeutic, to say the least.  I've been taking advantage of the favorable temps (read: not ridiculously humid) while they last. 

Bike ON.

Mt. Vernon Trail

Praise to the Mom



THEN

I wish I could be with my madre today to celebrate her. It's overwhelming when I think about all of the sacrifices she has made to be a mother - including that time we both almost died when I was still in utero. Basically I was a handful before I even arrived, and my mom has loved me unconditionally through it all.  She is a superstar. There are countless other sacrifices she has made, and there is no way I can ever repay her for the wonderful example she has been to me.  A few things she has taught me:

* The importance and vaule of hard work. People always assume since I'm the baby and the only girl in my family that I was spoiled. This absolutely was not the case; from a young age it was work, work, work. There aren't many things that are as rewarding as the satisfaction that comes from accomplishing short-term and long-term goals.

* How to be self-sufficient. This wasn't something I truly appreciated until I moved away from home. All of the things I watched other kids struggle to learn/accept I already knew thanks to my mom's wisdom.

* How to serve.  My mom is a complete dynamo when it comes to giving of her time and her talents. She is crazy talented in so many ways. 

*How to love and forgive others. It's been amazing to watch my mom through the years as people have been unkind, even downright rude to her, and she is always more than willing to look the other way and strives to be a peacemaker. It speaks volumes of her character and I appreciate that she practices what she preaches.

One of the biggest drawbacks of moving to DC has been being away from my mom. She has been, and continues to be, my biggest cheerleader. Happy Mother's Day to my favorite mom in the world!  I love you beyond words.

NOW

Adventures in baby-sitting

During my last bout of unemployment (thanks, dismal Phoenix economy), I got creative about how to make some quick cash. Every day I scoured Craig's List looking for random gigs.  Said gigs included participating in focus groups, working as a brand ambassador and I did a couple of health studies at ASU (having someone pay ME to get a physical = genius).  It kept things interesting.

Since I've been in DC, things have been somewhat mundane because I've just being doing the office temp thing. A few weeks ago I got a call from a woman who received my name from her sister-in-law via my friend Cassie asking me if I was interested in watching her 10 month old twins. Initially I was hesitant about accepting since the prospect of not one, but two small children seemed a little daunting. However, I decided it would be good for me to mix it up. Plus I heart bebes.

There was some definite anxiety on the actual day of about watching baby A and baby E. They're on a pretty tight schedule: eat every couple of hours, have a bottle every couple of hours, sleep every couple of hours. Repeat. You get the idea. And factor in there are two of them, which means double time.  Anyway, my anxiety was all for naught, because things went really well. The highlight of our time together was going on a huge walk around their hood, Chevy Chase, which is quite possibly one of the cutest communities in the US of A. Aside from a few moments of post-nap hysteria, I was  impressed with how easy-going they both were.  I've watched them twice now, and I think it's safe to say, they like me, they really like me.

                                                           

                                                  

clean. happy. ready to zonk out. success.



i believe in a thing called love

...and so do Will & Kate. For some reason this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRYNYb30nxU was stuck in my head while I watched the Royal Wedding. Perhaps because the band is British? Who knows, but I thoroughly enjoy the chorus.
Since the actual wedding took place at the crack o' dawn on Friday (clearly I value sleep a lot more than some people, who watched it in real time) we had a Royal Brunch on Saturday, to ohh and ahh over the dress, the venue, David Beckham, etc. The girls who hosted know how to do it right and I couldn't get enough of the decorations. And the food was also pretty tasty - sweet potato hash, beignets, muffins, and fruit.

My favorite is the "Keep Calm and Marry On". I see singles wards worldwide adapting this motto in the near future.

Evading Taxes

In college I would usually turn to Facebook /reading blogs/anything on the web to procrastinate writing papers. Now that it's time to wrap up my taxes, I'm so desperate to avoid them that I am blogging. Hmph. You would be too if you owed the state of AZ as much money as I do...not cool.

Anyway, I am happy to report that I had a nice, low-key weekend. This has been rare since moving here. I can't quite explain it, but the pace of life is so busy that I feel compelled to always be doing something, and there are always fun things going on. In a lot of ways I really enjoy this. But there comes a point when complete exhaustion sets in which can make life miserable. Basically I haven't felt truly well rested since I got to DC at the end of February. No bueno.

However, this weekend I made a concerted effort to catch up on my sleep. I slept in Saturday and Sunday, which has made a huge difference in how I've felt. Rejuvenation - check.

Friday night I started things off right with a much needed manicure/pedicure. It was long overdue. And the nail tech was incredible. Props to her and her perfectionist ways for doing an excellent job and helping me feel relaxed and pampered. Blissful, indeed. Afterwards I met up with some friends for Indian food and debriefing. Always a good time.

Saturday was a productive day that included the gym, cleaning, Crumbs, and the outlet mall. It rained most of the day, and sadly, the outlet mall did not put out as hoped. The highlights included purchasing an umbrella, cute juice glasses from Crate & Barrel and a sweater stone. I know, I know, how could I possibly contain myself? But, it was still a pleasant day because I wasn't confined to a schedule, which has been pretty common for my Saturdays thus far in DC.

Tonight I went to a BBQ where we had some good eats and played bocce ball. I, being a bocce ball novice, wasn't exactly an asset to my team. Aside from a few lucky plays, I was kinda terrible. Though I see why people get addicted to playing. Hopefully there will be more b-ball in my future.

Earlier in the afternoon, I mentioned to my roomies I was thinking about making cookies. My roommate Becky would not let up on this notion, so I ended up channeling my inner domestic diva (the apron is a nice touch, no?) and whipped up some chocolate chip delights with a pinch of sea salt on top. The trick is to add the addtional salt right before you throw them in the oven. Doesn't disappoint.

PS - Jill please send me YOUR choco chip cookie recipe. It's a lot better than the one on the Harris Teeter chocolate chip bag. Boo on HT all around.

Life Moves Pretty Fast

I blame blogspot for my lack of desire to post regularly. It isn't the most user friendly, and it frustrates me when I try to correct something fifteen times without any success. Anyway, things have been ever busy around these parts. I'm still amazed that I get to live in such a beautiful city rich in history with endless things to do.

The other day I had someone ask me about my experience in DC thus far and what I've enjoyed most about living here. Firstly, I absolutely love all of the diversity. So many different cultures which is refreshing after coming from Phoenix where it's mostly Mormons, Mexicans and a lot of overly tan people. Whenever I'm out and about and see these people from all over the world, I want to know their history and their perspective on the world. If only it weren't weird for me to ask them 20 questions while they shop for produce or wait for the train..

One of the other things that DC has to offer is lots of opportunity. This was something I could sense when I came out in January for my trial run. Even though I'm still looking for full time employment, the economy is strong here and undoubtedly the right position will come along sooner or later. This is a place where people make their dreams come true and it's inspiring to see. Also, opportunity abounds for new relationships and it has been incredible that I've already been able to meet so many people. Great things are ahead.

I'm still temping, which has it's ups and downs. It's nice because I would be going crazy if I were just hanging out everyday, but it's also been challenging to job search and submit resumes/network after putting in a full day. And the work itself isn't very exciting and I'm not gaining any new skills. Nonetheless, I am grateful to be earning money instead of watching my savings account decline.

The weather has been an adjustment for me. When you're used to 332 days of sunshine and you are suddenly getting rain, rain and more rain, it's a drag, no? Helllooo humidity, goodbye straight hair. Until November, perhaps? April Fools was indeed a cruel joke, I was sportin my marshmellowpuff queen jacket. Pretty sexy. But it gets the job done. The look on my face says, "why the H is it still so bloody cold?" Sidenote - I've drunk more hot chocolate in the past 3 months than I have in the past 3 years. Seriously.

My spring/summer wardrobe - approximately 80% of the clothes I own - arrived yesterday from AZ (thanks, mom!), so my new approach is to will the warmer temps to come. So far it's working - today was pleasant. I headed out to Farragut Square to eat my lunch amongst the throngs of other Vitamin D starved people here:

Some other exciting things that have been going on:

*Jimmermania is not just a phenomenon in the Beehive state. Little P-town has serious Fredette fever too. This greeted me when I arrived for a b-day party last week:

*What is better than fro-yo? FREE fro-yo. This shop just opened by my oficina, and was all about making a good first impression with its neighbors. No objections here. It's not Yogurtland, but it will suffice. I may or may not have hit up Ben & Jerry's earlier this week for their free cone day as well. Don't judge me. Besides, I had to walk half a mile to get there.

*Tourist season is officially underway. Steady stream of friends in town the next two weekends and got to hostess my first visitor, Ashley C. last weekend. Unfortunately the cherry blossoms were mostly gone, but we still enjoyed going to the Tidal Basin and a delicious late breakfast at Eastern Market. AC took the pics that day, so sadly I have none of us running around town. My guess is they look more or less like any pic you've ever seen on The Mall. Just a hunch :)

*I got a bike! Or more accurately, I'm storing a bike for a friend. Even better. There are some goregous places to ride around here, and I cannot wait for some Saturday excursions into the city or to ride along the Potomac.

*Our little casa is coming together. All five of us finally agreed on a rug, we have curtains for our front nook, as well as freshly upholstered cushions for the bay window. Yes, bay window. What, you've always wanted one too? It's the best. I adore our house and am so happy it's turning into a home ;) I had a vision for my room, inspired by my Anthro apron, courtesty of Jill, and it should be complete soon. Stay tuned...