Life Updates

I know we're already well into winter, but we had a really busy fall. Here are a few of the highlights:

Zahara's New School
This year we moved Zahara to a new school. Her last school was tiny--only three kids in her kindergarten class! And, while we loved a lot of aspects of that school, we thought Zahara might do better in a bigger environment where she could practice social etiquette and have more structure and stability. So far, we were right. She is absolutely thriving there. We feel so supported and amazed at watching her progress.

Starting a New Job
This fall I left my last job where I was for the past four years. I'm really excited about my new company and the opportunities I've been afforded. It's really challenging, but I know I'm up to the challenge. I've only been there five months, so I'm still in that awkward point in a new job where I love it, but am scared of how different it is and how much hard work is ahead of me. One of my colleagues, Mina Seetharaman wrote a piece that describes exactly how I feel now. It's definitely worth a read.

Broken Wrist and Elbow
You might have noticed in the picture above that I'm wearing a sling. The week before I started my new job I was painting our bedroom (more info on that soon), and I fell off the ladder. I was only on the second to last step, but I fell in such an awkward way that I managed to break both my wrist and my elbow. And, in a case of when it rains it pours, that morning before the fall, I had left both of my phones on top of my car and then drove off, meaning I had no phones! Luckily, I was able to call Dan from Skype on my computer and asked him to come home. Long story short, I was in a cast for three weeks, then had a surgery to repair the wrist, then physical therapy for three months. It was a rough time, and I'm so thankful for all the help I got from my family, my friends, and my religious community. Since I couldn't even dress myself, I gratefully and humbly accepted all the help I could get.

Bedroom Updates
There have been lots of updates in the bedroom, including new paint (see above for the less fortunate outcome of that project), new bed frame, new nightstands, new lamps, and new art. It's looking SO GOOD! I'd still like to add a seating area and some more art for the long wall, but I'm really happy with the direction so far.

11th Anniversary
Dan and I celebrated our eleventh anniversary this fall. It was a much more low-key event than last year's trip to Peru(!), but we still had a good time. We went to dinner and drinks at Cooper's Hawk Winery and it was delicious. I'm looking forward to many, many more years with this guy!

And, I'll leave it there for now. I didn't cover everything--sorry, Asher! You were here in the fall too :) But lots more to come soon!

New Year's Intent

Well, hello there! I know I'm not alone in thinking this season of life is busier than ever. With a full-time job and two active kids, I've been having a hard time making time for the blog. But, that's just not going to cut it. This blog has always been for me. It's a way for me to capture our lives and record our memories. I can't tell you the number of times I refer back to it, just to remind myself of an amazing trip we took, or a funny thing Zahara said.

Now, I'm not one for resolutions generally. I find they set me up for failure and only add to my stress levels. But I heard someone describe them as intents instead, and I love that. I can absolutely talk about what I intend to do this year. I can have an idea, create a plan, and act. If I fall short of my goal, I can pick myself up and keep trying. It's not as black and white as a resolution in my mind.

So, what is my New Year's intent? I'd like to get back to semi-regular blogging. I'm not ever going to be back to the pace I kept in 2012 when I had no job and no kids and was traveling at least once a month. We're a long way from that life. But, I do fun things! I have cute kids! I have an amazing house that I'm proud of! There's still lots for me to talk about, and I want to start doing that again.

Thanks for sticking with me, even if you are only here because you're related to me or are my friend in real life. That's all that matters anyway. Happy New Year and talk to you soon!

Apple Picking

It's fall!! I couldn't be more excited. I love this time of year, especially in Washington, DC. The humidity finally breaks and we can enjoy the glorious weather. It's time to break out the sweaters, fall boots, and pumpkin spice everything!

One of my favorite fall traditions is apple picking. This year we went to a new place, Waters Orchard, with our friend Dani and her daughter. This was a no-frills orchard; no hay rides, pumpkin patches, face painting, or apple cider donuts. But, the trees were full of delicious apples that were ready for the taking. It was perfect.

We picked a total of around 20 pounds (a bushel). I'm making apple butter with some of my lot as we speak. I can't wait to spread it on toast or put it in my morning oatmeal.

After apple picking, we all went for ice cream at Bruster's. My pumpkin pie flavor was my favorite, but the death by chocolate was a big hit too.

What a fun day! Do you have any fall traditions that you love? Can't wait for pumpkin picking and carving soon, too!

Quirky Teacher Appreciation Gift

Last week was teacher appreciation week. I appreciate my kids' teachers all year round, but its nice to have a day to show extra gratitude.

This year, Dan and I decided to get Pintrest-y with our gift. We knew we were going to be in Peru and could grab a cute item for the teachers there. We played around with a few different ideas, but when we came across these leather notebooks in a local market, we knew we found a winner.

Peru has a long history with llamas and alpacas. The Incas used these animals to help them carry their goods in the steep terrain; they also used their wool for clothes, their meat for food, and their fat for making light.

So, we made this pun: "Soon alpaca my bags for kindergarten, but I'll never forget you."

We made one for each of her teachers, along with a hand-decorated card from Z. It was a quick, easy project and I love the way it turned out. I hope they love it as much as I do!

Click here for a FREE printable version of this teacher's appreciation card.

Girls Day Out at Drybar

I've never had a blow-out before, but after listening to the founder of Drybar on the How I Built This podcast, I decided I wanted to give it a try so I asked for a certificate for Chanukah. The concept is simple: you pick a style from their look book and a stylist washes and blow dries your hair. That's it. No cuts, no color, just styling. 

I thought it sounded like something fun to do with friends, so I invited my mom's group ladies for Drybar and brunch. The verdict: it was fun, but I won't be a regular. 

The atmosphere and service at Drybar were great. I had read online that they offer you champagne when you arrive, but when we came they told us they were out. I joked that I was only in it for the champagne, and next thing I knew they had gone out and bought a bottle just for our group! 

The hair washing felt lovely, but nothing too different from a regular hair cut. The blowout was good. I chose the Cosmo, which is billed as lots of loose curls. They definitely delivered. My final look was a really close match to the look book. And they didn't burn me once, which is something I'm always paranoid about.

My hair never holds a style for long, so while this was really fun and the outcome was beautiful, it's not something I would do on a regular basis. I can see myself doing it again for another girls' day out, or a wedding or other special event though. And showing up to brunch looking fabulous was definitely a perk.

Have you been to Drybar? Let me know what you thought!

German Unity Day

Dan and I recently attended a really fun event at the German embassy. It was an invite-only cocktail party to celebrate German Unity Day, which is the anniversary of German reunification in 1990.

Dan and I will take any excuse to dress up and have a night out, but this was a particularly good event. It was very "DC," in that we were among elite government officials. I'm terrible at hob-knobbing and knowing who is whom, but I saw several Generals and other high-ranking officials.

The embassy itself was gorgeous. They had a real beer garden with long, wooden tables and excellent brew. Food was set up in various stations around the grounds. I was surprised at the variety of foods on offer. I never thought of herring and salmon as traditional German foods, but they are part of the coastal region cuisine. That was my favorite section. I also really enjoyed the warm pretzels and cheese from Bavaria. Of course they also offered schnitzel, spaetzle, bratwursts, and black forest cupcakes.

We had a great time. The weather was perfect, the music was fun, and the food was delicious. I hope to do it again next year!

Things I Love: Halo Top

I'm probably pretty late to this party, but have you guys tried Halo Top ice cream? It is so good! My parents introduced it to me when they were here a couple of weeks ago, and I'm officially hooked.

Here's the deal: it's low-calorie ice cream that is packed with protein. Is it healthy? No, probably not. I mean, it's not like you're eating a carrot stick. But, if you have a huge sweet tooth like me (see: Sweet Tooth Traveler), and you're going to indulge anyway, why not do it with something that isn't quite so bad for you.

So far, we've tried the pistachio, chocolate almond crunch, and mint chip flavors. I'm not a huge mint chip fan (shocking! I know!), but Dan said it was really good. The other two flavors were really, really good. The pistachio is a little sweet, but I like it. It has a nice, nutty flavor. The chocolate almond crunch has yummy crunchy bits that kind of reminded me of a rocky road.

Next up on my list to try: chocolate chip cookie dough, peanut butter cup, s'mores, black cherry, chocolate covered banana, and candy bar. I mean, right?! How good do these sound?

source

Have you tried Halo Top Creamery? What do you think?

This isn't a sponsored post, I just really, really like this ice cream!

Mummy-Daughter Date

Last week I took a day off work to hang out with my favorite girl. We don't get a ton of alone time, and I thought that it would be fun to just be together. I had grand plans: lunch and a movie. It went...OK. I would give it a solid C+. A lot of the day was really fun, but some parts were downright miserable. 

Our Day:

Started off happy!

Decided she didn't want the mac and cheese she ordered because, "it has cheese on it." No problem! You can have my pad thai instead.

Just the two of us for a mid-afternoon screening of Beauty and the Beast. We even got popcorn!

The movie was great! So great that she didn't want to leave. Unfortunately, I needed a 15-minute break in the car to pump before we could continue on our day of fun. That was a non-starter for her. So here's how we ended up:

After a solid performance, she tired herself out with her tantrum and finally fell asleep (around 1.5 hours in).

Good news, the nap helped! When she woke up, she was marginally happier. Talk of arts and crafts outside pepped her up even more.

What can I say other than, this is three. 

Life Updates

The blog has been pretty quiet, but that doesn't mean life hasn't been moving. I just wrapped up a very busy work project and now have a little bit more breathing room. So let me catch you up on what we've been up to for the past couple of months.

Family Wedding
Dan's second cousin David got married in New Jersey and we decided to make a weekend of it. David's mom Stella was amazing and found us a babysitter to come to our hotel and watch the kids during the wedding. The rest of the time we were able to hang out with my in-laws, and my friend Dina who lives nearby.

Cherry Blossom Festival
There is no better place than DC in the spring. The air is so fresh and people are so happy. This year, the poor cherry blossoms didn't do too well, but even at half their normal bounty it is very impressive. Plus, a little ice cream on the mall never hurts anyone.

Passover

As you know, Passover is one of my favorite holidays. This year was really special because we had almost the whole family in town. My cousin Larin flew in with her little girl Phoenix and we finally were able to meet! Watching all the cousins together was absolutely incredible. 

And, Zahara's Jewish school is paying dividends. She recited the "mah nishtana" (four questions) all by herself, sang a bunch of Hebrew songs, and was able to tell a lot of the Passover story. If you know me at all, you know this made me way happier than I thought possible. I was practically bursting with joy--or as they say in Yiddish, nachas. 

Preparing to Move

We are in the midst of getting the house ready to rent. We initially thought we were going to sell, but the market turned on us and now it looks like renting will be our best option. Either way, we need to clear the house of the clutter and touch up a few areas. It's been pretty chaotic--and will only get worse! At least we have our new house to dream about. It will all be worth it in the end!

And now you're mostly caught up. I have a more posts planned about two of our recent adventures--both in Pennsylvania. Stay tuned!