Birthday Weekend

My sister Elise and her husband Brett visited for the holiday/birthday weekend. I had Friday off and was able to have some time in the morning (gym, Lucy stop (side note: how cute is the scalloped hem of this top?), new prescription sunglasses stop) while Luke had the girls. Sweet freedom! When Brett and Elise arrived that evening and we finalized our weekend itinerary over sandwiches at our house.

They stayed at the JW Marriott Hill Country resort and the girls and I met them first thing Saturday morning for some pool time. I don't have any pics because our hands were full but it's a lovely complex and I'm scoping out military rates for an in-town getaway in September (there's a lazy river!) Both girls LOVE the water. Back home for naps because we had to be well-rested for a fourth of July pool party co-hosted by our friends the Browns and the Fudges. So much depends on the naps and by so much I mean everything.

The Fudges have the prettiest backyard with citrus trees, raised beds, beautiful potted plants, and a pool. We estimate C was in the pool for at least three hours in addition to her time in the morning - we predicted she would collapse in the car but no. She talked all the way home, through her bedtime routine, and we heard her playing, singing, and talking away in her crib. Indefatigable. All of us were in bed before the sky was dark.

The next day she recalled the afternoon - we've never heard her spontaneously reminisce about something and it was really exciting to hear: "So fun pway in the agua Mrs. Brown."

Pwaying in the agua with Mrs. Brown and Daddy.

This was the look on her face the whole time.

At least 25% of the kids under 5 at the Marriott pool were wearing this cross-chest floatie so I ran to Target during their nap to pick one up.

B & E came over to our house for a bit and then we planned our next day:

Birthday brunch at La Gloria and Pearl Farmers Market - happy 35th to me!

'Smile!'

Having bubbles in the purse is my newest mom-trick.

J & B & E

[Naps] [Brett and Elise walked from Pearl to the Alamo and back. 'Fun...but really hot,' they said. That's actually San Antonio's official motto.]

Evening at the resort. We had dinner at the steakhouse 18 Oaks. The standout menu item for me was a single char grilled halved sweet onion that accompanied my filet. It was so perfect - I've got to try broiling or grilling some.

Postprandial cornhole.

This new double stroller is working out great if you're in the market.

C devised this game: she ran to the edge of the lawn, shouted and semaphored MOVE BACK! then ran to us full tilt to be scooped up and held aloft. Repeat x 20.

Then we saw a raccoon in the parking lot ('Raccoon eating the tree,' C said.)

Thanks for visiting, B & E! See you in Chicago in the fall!

Week in Pictures

Fun things over the last couple of weeks.

Birthday party at the Sylvias. At last year's party Josie wasn't earthside yet; she was born four days later. Now she's in the pool!

The next day we had brunch at Central Market and then enjoyed the members' only hour at the DoSeum.

This is one of my favorite recent photos - I asked, 'can you give Josie a hug?'

Oh, ok.

Devouring a pancake. They are my favorite in the city.

The DoSeum

St Josephine, patron saint of bemused resignation

Next time we'll be water-feature-ready.

Later that day I bought the plants for my first fabric bed and made white chocolate and raspberries scones with Luke ("it's been so long since we made scones together," he said).

Going to the grocery store.

Ear tube placement. This is the before from the preop area.

The after. She was tearful and scared in the recovery bay but this popsicle made the tears roll back up her cheeks.

Checking out a new restaurant, Cullum's Attagirl. This also-new New Orleans restaurant is next door.

Fried chicken and a pineapple cider for us, bits of chicken and spoonfuls of chocolate cream pie for the girls.

With a banana chaser.

At the nursery getting large houseplants (at least one July goal accomplished).

I asked to take her picture and she ran out of the houseplant area to this spot-- 'over hee-ah!' she said. Please note ear headband.

Our houseplant haul.

Then it was off to Oklahoma City for a business trip. I listened to three America's Test Kitchen podcasts while driving - if you're interested in food science, food additives, and junk food engineering you might like these (numbers 417 Your Brain on Food; 416 The Dorito Effect; 310 Junk Food Engineering) The interviews and Adam Gopnik's segments were fascinating as always.

Then this party train rolled on into Josie's first birthday and the Fourth of July weekend!

First Birthday

Josie turned one!

Her daily report sheet from daycare:

So sweet. Everybody loves you, Josiegirl!

We had a quick dinner before Luke left for a show, followed by...

CUPCAKES!

Her STL food onesie is from STL's own Tiny Little Monster

'MY CUPCAKE.'

She rips off bibs these days.

And then turns every shirt into a deep scoopneck.

How all birthdays should end.

What's Making Me Happy This Week

Well last week...

// Pizza with my friend Michelle and her son in Oklahoma City.

// I just discovered Lucky Peach magazine. I enjoyed the holiday issue so much I immediately checked out the Obsession and All You Can Eat issues. If you like food and good writing about food, I recommend.

// Driveway caprese and driveway pesto. Caprese salad and pesto (whipped up in the Vitamix) with basil from the driveway. Is there anything more romantic than eating a leaf or vegetable or fruit that's sunshine-warm?

// The shopping list feature in the Target app. Search items in your store and add to list -- the app supplies the inventory status and the aisle number to minimize wandering. (Although wandering is most of the fun in a Target run). Other than walking around with my phone in my hand, this feature is great.

// Not having asparagus pee receptors. We roast a lot of asparagus and I can't smell this alleged 'asparagus pee' phenomenon. Other house inhabitants can.

Resolution of Those June Resolutions

Here's how I did with my June goals.

Attend ten fitness classes

This one, I did great. 17 classes in 25 days - 2 barre, 7 iron classes at Alamo 180, 3 spin, and 5 yoga. This was fun, this was easy, this was gratifying. Once I get rolling with class attendance, I find it very easy to maintain. Once a week slips by though...

Ride my bike five times

I rode my bike once to barre class.

Prepare five meals from One Pot, two dishes from Genius Recipes, and three meals from Healthy Slow Cooker

I didn't cook much this month because Luke was frequently gone, limiting how easily I could shop. The cordoned-off house floorplan means I cannot be in the kitchen while the girls are in the living room - if we're alone, I can't cook anything more involved than quesadillas (which C can say perfectly now; for a while it was just 'dilla'). Genius Recipes went back to the library.

Have ten days this month without any processed food 

Three. Vide supra + this takes a lot of planning and stashed snacks and meal prep.

Buy two houseplants

Three little houseplants, two succulents and something very leafy and green, all on the kitchen windowsill. What I really had in mind were plants for the enclosed porch, sideboard, and bedrooms.

Tidy up and organize my office

No movement here. I did inherit three plants from a departing colleague, so cross your fingers for them.

Plant two fabric bag beds

I bought plants and potting soil the weekend before and planted one of them on the last day of the month. Ran out of soil for the second and I'm waiting for a trellis anyway. Here's an artist's rendering of the first bed:

Against the fence, a zucchini plant. Clockwise, a marigold (Pinterest says they keep away bugs? Attract butterflies? I have no idea), stevia, mint (orange mint - smells heavenly. I like the smell of mint but in a drink? No thanks. Mojitos taste like a mouthful of lawn clippings to me but this variety - orange mint - may change my mind), thyme, garlic and onion chives, more marigolds, arugula, pineapple sage. I ate some of this *very* peppery arugula at the nursery. Eager to put it on pizza.

Rock a different look 

I did wear my contacts, smear on some eyeliner, and most daringly of all, wore shorts. I've finally outgrown my I can't wear shorts because wahhhhhh mentality because after seeing all these amputees here - a leg at the knee, both legs above the knees, a triple amputee, a man whose entire pelvis is a scarred stump - those people would give anything to walk normally, or even haltingly, or even with excruciating pain. What kind of ninny doesn't wear shorts on her perfectly good legs?!

Alright, July. I can do better! Luke is not traveling much this month, which is great for intrapersonal, interpersonal, and home projects. This at-home time before he departs for a lengthy midwest tour (details to follow!) is another reason for my digital sabbatical, which I'll talk about soon. Most of my failures (in this list and in life) stem from lack of focus, follow-through, and inability or reluctance to put forth undivided attention.

JULY GOALS

// Attend ten fitness classes. My co-worker added me to her gym membership so it's goodbye Y, hello Gold's! Now I have more childcare hours and more classes (3 gyms within 5 miles of Casa H) for a third of the cost!

// Ride bike five times. This requires formation of a new habit and therefore is somewhat difficult.

// Empty out the freezer and pantry to use up those ingredients - what my mom referred to as 'an eat-down' before a household move. As fun as it is to peruse cookbooks and make lists, there's a lot of good stuff languishing in our cupboards. This weekend I made honey mustard drumsticks, using up all of the Dijon mustard, a bottle of honey, and organic chicken from Costco retrieved from the chest freezer. More of that before I sprint off to buy pricey, novel ingredients to use a splash or quarter of, then banish to the back of the shelf.

// Ten days of minimally processed food is do-able if I cook.

// Buy plants for the beautiful, heavy, ridiculously expensive ceramic pots I bought several years ago. I put plants in them and forgot to water them. I'd also like to put a few plants on the sideboard and in the bedrooms but first I have to clear off excavate those areas.

// Office still needs a couple hours of organization. This might be an excuse to buy the label maker I've always wanted. (If someone has a label maker recommendation, I'd love to hear it.)

// Read or listen to a novel. I've read some fantastic nonfiction recently but had a 2015 goal of a novel per month. I download all of my audiobooks free through the library but I very much want to listen to Kate Atkinson's A God in Ruins - I enjoyed preceding Life After Life so much.

// Finish planting fabric beds -- keep them alive! I am hopeful I'll have a lot of zucchini to spiralize.

// Date nights - at least two.

// Complete the Wanderlust 28 Day Run Yoga Meditate Challenge. Today is Day 1, a 15 minute walk.

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Hope you are having a great summer! Any projects planned or underway?