In the cherry blossoms' shade. There is no such thing as a stranger

and that was certainly the case at today's Cherry Blossom festival - YOGA event. Right there on the national mall hoards of yogi's showed up for a once a year opportunity to do yoga outside, under the cherry blossoms (well not really, but...), and en mass. I personally LOVE huge yoga classes and i LOVE LOVE outdoor yoga so this was a super duper treat.

The day started out gray gray much like last weekend and I wasn't super duper motivated to deal with cherry blossom 'mainstream' folks. BUT pete-a-lee assured me he was feeling the parking karma and promised to drop G & I off close and meet up with us. We skirted traffic as only a (quasi) local can and i was pleasantly surprised by the ease. Peter found a parking spot RIGHT in front of the white house. No, like right right in front. It could not have been a better spot. But like my mom said...only an IDIOT would drive downtown during the cherry blossom festival :P
There was live music and incense (from somewhere) and the vibe was dreamy. And of course, G participated like only a 3 year old can.

The sun finally came out - we all have happy rosy cheeks. We ultimately loved every minute of it.

namaste,
the alcantarians

Cherry Blossom Time

In recent years we've taken to visiting the cherry blossoms when the nerds do. i.e. at sunrise before all the tourists get out of bed. Well at least the jerky/irritating ones.

This year however was a M.A.J.O.R letdown. The skies were gray the weather was cold and we were significantly unmotivated. Despite all that ~ we still managed a decent time. Like a true local G had never been to a monument (that her pea brain could remember. don't spaz, we've taken her many times...as a baby)

Anyhoo - she thought Jefferson was the coolest dude in the world. And LOVED being in the monument. The elevator didn't hurt either. And yes - we took the elevator to the top because we were already visiting the potties and i thought the elevator would be a bigger "WOW" factor. Silly mommy forgot that an elevator is WOW factor enough!

I'll spare you all the blossom photos and just leave you with a selection of my favorites.








oh and it was flooded too.

Before & After

So going through some photos and I have quite a few before & after shots I wanted to share.

Our Home:
this before is before before~ like before i was preg and before we had a toddler...hence the extreme clean :)


the after --ahh i love. after having always moved in the fall, its nice to have something bright & spring-y. Plus i think it personally reflects the now-me much better. -- the wide angle lens doesn't hurt either.


And since i don't have a before of the dress -- which would really just be a pile of yummy fabric...here's the dress as all nice & pressed.


and in action!

and just to toot my own horn a bit. this was my FIRST ever pattern! As most of you know- i love to sew, but i really felt like its time to up the ante a bit. This was a super simple pattern to begin with and despite a (few) minor panic attacks about fit...i couldn't be happier with how it turned out.
(for anyone interested it's the modkid - frida dress with michael miller fabric)

0.0625 in our blood

#1 in our heart!

Happy St. Patricks Day from G!

but really....isn't she cute!?!?




and this one's for you Lea!

T-Minus 3 days and ...

praying time will stop!

hahahah -- so this is my view from the sofa RIGHT NOW. and we have a party in THREE days.

Past tense

So yea - i have more pictures to upload, but to be completely honest this lack of blogging can completely be related to my new pc where i keep all my photos. The keyboard on it STINKS. The two of them is a pain in the butt.

anyhoo -

this is just a quick lil note to let you all know G has moved on to (incorrect) past tense verbs. Another milestone that perhaps only a speech therapist would care about but i find soooo adorable. My favorite: "Talk-ed" as in

"Daddy talk-ed me eat my eggs"

love. love. love.

Get your shovels out

No really - go get em. its gonna snow ~ again! One nice thing about getting this much snow in DC ~ the road workers are starting to figure out how to plow, when to lay salt, etc. The roads are significantly better this year. Now if we could only convince the schools that they don't need to close at the forcast of snow ~ we'd almost be a normal city. Here's a lil video from the last big snow (but G was actually up in CT with daddy)

its the little things.

for lunch i went to the farmers market. Sure i needed things, but i knew some friends would be there and I was hoping to see them also. (and by friends i mean the ones i hang out with and would call in case of a family emergency - you'll get the distinction in a moment)

But is it normal to squeal with delight upon seeing your favorite Amish dairy farmer and wish instantly that you could run and pick up your daughter from daycare so she could pick out her yogurt flavor? Like many small markets - chit chat ensued with friends and vendors and the Amish Dairy Man said he was happy to see his local friends again. It made me smile. Friends. While i wouldn't use the term myself i certainly appreciate that he did.

I remember the last day of the market early this fall and he was wearing what i presumed to be his 'Sunday best'. He graciously thanked his regulars and handed out information for how to contact him through the winter. Today he said it was upsetting 'to see the [local] market close for the season. It just seemed like an abrupt way to say goodbye'.

Perhaps its sentimental and cheesy but i totally agreed. I so often think of things as a means to an end.
Organic produce + small business = farmers market.

but my dairy man reminded me its more like:
my family + your family + sustainable living + consciousness of chemicals + my health + your health + animal health + + + + ... = farmers markets.

and in that ~ i am a friend. thanks for the reminder.

Our FIRST Christmas

no really – seriously – OUR first christmas.  Peter and i have been together workin on 8 years now and this is the first christmas we’ve been able to call our own.  and it was WONDERFUL.  No where to go.  No one to dress up for, no meals to make you overstuffed and did i mention, no where to go?!?!  Of course we missed family – but thanks to SKYPE and perhaps being over 30, it didn’t really seem that bad.

For starters i had tried to get all interested parties set up on Skype so they could spy on our x-mas morning should they be interested.  Course no one expected that we’d have this to deal with for soooooooooooo long.  seriously kid.  WAKE UP.  I did everything but jump on her bed at 9am.

But that being said – it was all worth the wait.  This was truly and enjoyable day.  She LOVED it.  (duh, right!)  Unfortunately i didn’t pick up my camera till she had already swapped into new jammies, opened 90% of her gifts, had a new dolly that would not come out of her arms.  Despite the wonderful picture of peter – it was funny watching G open gifts with 1 hand. OK,  for about 5 minutes until i wanted to scratch out my own eyeballs from the slowness of it all.  However, i digress.  Next are the wings.  Ahh the wings.  The wings that were cause of WWIII should they come off for nap time (they did not) ~ nor for dinner either.  But it was good.  We sang and played all day long and no one got out of their jammies. 

I guess i’m pretty lucky.  Every day just keeps getting better!

Havin a cool yule

So clearly i’ve been lacking in the blogging.  but its all for good reason i promise.  DUH – i’ve been BUSY :P

So i’m going to try and pick up roughly where i left off and just get to the good parts.  i.e. like another pic of my new rug and our sofa :)

starting of course – with our solstice celebration.  As i grow up and learn more about Christmas, its true meaning and origin of traditions I wonder more and more why I feel the need to celebrate something entirely made up.  Wanna celebrate the birth of Christ– go for it.  Wanna celebrate the sun – go for that too.  Eight days of oil…game on.  I love latkes.  But what i don’t get…nor care for, to be honest, is when people do things just for the sake of tradition or because its what everyone else does.  Perhaps its the life stage i’m in as with Santa and parenting i’m testing out new waters as i teach and am actually responsible for a lil mind.  Or perhaps i’m just wierd as my father would tell me. 

So what do you do when your brain tells you to celebrate one thing, but your childish dreams  want celebrate something else? Well for now – we do it all.  :)

Starting with the solstice.  We decorate d sun cookies (ok really flowers as that’s the cookie cutter i have) tied up our yule log and made prayer poppers / wish crackers or whatever you want to call them.  G also received a little solstice present.  A nativity scene complete with gnomes, fairy’s and so i don’t get too dizzy when i spiral to hell --  a baby in a rocker. 

 

and just for giggles – here’s a picture of my favorite little gnome-ess in all her feminine glory :)

my endless love

I just wanted to take a moment to introduce you to my newest love. 'sabrina' its what i've named her. my rug that is.

i posted an add on craigslist looking for a persian-ish rug to cover our living room floor. I had xxx i was willing to spend and wanted something about 9x12.

I got one response. from a woman who told me she was SICK to see this rug go but it didn't fit in her new place. The day of the viewing & potential exchange she was kicking herself for agreeing to my price. We had many hobbies in common and i just LOVED her decor. It got to the point where i had to stop saying 'ME TOOO' for fear that i was looking insincere. By the time i left & helped her move some boxes to her car ~ she felt like fate had led her to see my ad and was happy to pass the rug along to a young family for a new life.

turns out its 9.5 x 13 (a lil big for our place, but we've made it work). a semi-antique (greater than 60 but less than 100 years) Persian machad (which means the red is more pink vs orange) with an all-over design (no medallion) -- after the army, her (ex)husband was an importer and she worked with him for a few years so she was able to teach me a little bit about it & how to care for it. Prior to the embargo-life this baby woulda been worth a nice bit, but unfortunately with the allowance of trade & flooding of pottery barn 'fakes' ~ the entire persian & oriental market has suffered.

now..most importantly -- PICTURES

Crafting

So it IS december and I am waaaay waaaay behind in my holiday crafting.  Perhaps its the lack of the FLOORS being FINISHED (PETER!) – or perhaps it’s just general business getting the best of me.

I vote Peter. 

Either way… G and I got some good stuff done last night & I wanted to share. 

And then, we started to make an advent calendar.  I’d like to combine chocolates (since 2/3 of the house are ADDICTS) with nice family activities.   Thankfully i’m doing these with paper, so i can sorta just do 1 a night :P 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'sick' days

So today G was deemed to sick for 'school' - by the powers that be. Sure her cough sounds horrible, but really...its loose and after weeks of a cold now seems to be the dumbest time to send her home ~ but whatevs. I'll take it :P

After a wonderful breakfast ~ we spent the morning cleaning her room in preparation for the floors getting DONE this weekend (& grandpa pete & gramma pat's visit - not a coincidence). I'm on a conference call now and she's sitting in her 'castle' (a great big box) and 'decorating' (coloring the walls with crayons). She was content with watching Jane occasionally - but has recently taken to 'moving' (dragging her castle across the living room floor every 5 minutes)

If i weren't WORKING...i'd be taking pictures. its a lovely day so far.

Where you at?

oh i KNOW where you at!
(that's for you mum)

Last week we spent the most wonderful week in the Outer Banks, NC. I seriously don't know how a single post can do it justice, but i'll certainly try.
- one of my bestests got married
- we crashed her honeymoon
- we saw horses on the beach
- we flew a kite
- i got to take some photos i love
- i celebrated my 31st
- G fell in love with donuts, cupcakes and a ginormous house and i fear life may never be the same.

and so are some photos from the lovely day...i'm sure i'll have more to share once my batteries are charged...say around christmas :P







Clearly a kid who's seen too many drinking games in her day.

The Alcantarians...keeping workplace romance alive since 2004

Thus was the response when i told a friend of ours about...

PETER'S NEW JOB!

Peter will be a technical recruiter with this great lil company i know. Heck ~ a great lil company i work for!

Currently we're a small-ish company (about 150 strong in DC & Boulder) and in the upcoming year we're looking to almost double our full time employees given the amazing contracts that we are gonna win. So peter's job is going to be a busy one. But at least i know it'll be rewarding and the people he'll be working with are ~ hee ~ like family :P

Good luck Pete-a-lee!
(but we will miss you at home)

Family Fun Fridays

I've always loved Octobers. Fall is my favorite season and halloween is SO. MUCH. FUN. I loooove to make costumes. I looooove cooking fun foods. and i Loooooove pumpkin well -- pumpkin anything, but pete-a-lee makes a to-die-for PSL (that's pumpkin spice latte for you newbies out there)

Last friday night we had a blast making dinner & dessert.


And in theory - tonight we'll 'play' a little more AND carve pumpkins.

Mi Casa

es horrible!!! (that means my house is a big ass mess)


So for those of you not in the know -- we're doing a little remodeling. I LOVE our home, but after 4 years i'm kinda tired of it. Since we can't exactly build on ~ why not completely remodel right?!?!

If last time our place was Starbucks Chic ~ this time will be Lake House Lovin.

Floors will be a polished concrete. Furniture eclectic as we find the funds :) And the walls will be toned down to a cheery but super super light yellow. Here's the general game plan.

We've successfully removed the carpet from all but G's room. And interestingly enough...i don't sneeze anymore the hour after i wake up like i used to. And to think ~ i originally researched this for G's allergies. Now we're debating on the floor stain color. I think we have a favorite, but i'm interested in others opinions...I KNOW you all have opinions :P

While peter was visiting the kids the other weekend I refinished the entertainment center. And look forward to refinishing the buffet (crackle) & the corner cabinet (accent color on the inside).

Of course its a ton of work ~ but its fun (mostly) and i can. not. wait. to see the finished project :)

G's first bully.

So this weekend i did not one but TWO things i swore i would n.e.v.e.r. do.
1) put g's living room toys front and center in the entertainment center (pics/post to come)
2) take her to the mall to play. yea. ewe is right.

Anyhoo - we had been shopping all morning, it was raining, and it was on the way home. G was LOVIN it. Just running around like a maniac and going down the slide headfirst like the big kids (but really ~ why do parents let their 8yo play here?!?) But then this 4-5 year old girl really takes a shine to G. Perhaps b.c. she was the youngest & most rambunctious in the group and she wanted to put her in her place?? So this chick follows G around, pushing her off the toys, blocking her from the slide, etc etc. They'd shove each other occasionally and for the most part G really held her own. Until this lil gangster acutally started chocking G and pushing her around. As soon as I stood up she stopped and G came over with giant doe eyes and said "Mommy she's mean. She hurt me" I said i know - but next time she comes near you - you look her in the eye and say "i don't want to play with you ~ you're mean".

Sure enough the second G was more than 3 feet away from me, that little girl was back. G tried climbing up on a mushroom and she blocked her. And what happened next made a whole row of watching parents smile. G glared into this girls face and almost growled the words i told her. Then just to solidify it ~ she finished with a hearty little shove and walked away.

Amazingly enough it worked! We stayed at least another 30 minutes and the girl kept her distance from then on.

One of the dad's commended me on my composure. I smiled and said thanks. But really. I wanted to drop punt the little bitch out of the play park.

:)

Donkey Bites and all that jazz

So yes. I got bit by a donkey. and it hurt. and i'd like to report that G added a new word to her vocabulary ~ but unfortunately she already knows them all.

BUT in other news...

We went to an apple orchard AND got to press our own cider. Ironically two rather unrelated events.
First we went apple picking which was awesome (sans damn donkey bite) G thoroughly enjoyed APPLES from TREEs and running down the dirt roads in her lil house on the prairie ensemble. She loved her new friend ~ "my lil mary". How she got that name is beyond me as Mary is anything but G's or little for that matter. She's my age (ha) and a pretty darn tall svelt lady. So the name alone is joke worthy. Anyhoo we picked apples, got scared by massive pigs and had a great time with some new friends.

Then we went to the CSA farm for our apple cider pressing. Our farmer had 2nd quality apples on hand for us to pick through and an awesome new cider press. What amazed me the most was 1) how easy it was and 2) how many bee's there were. But seriously - not a single sting among us. Apparently honey bees don't really do stinging unless you really tick em off ~ and apparently pete-a-lee was on his best behavior :P We were expecting approximately 2.5 gallons of cider and took home a little over 2 in our mr. beer 'keg' that is happily sitting in our fridge. But not for long as it is SOO YUMMY!

And another one ~ if only cause the bees are soo clear!