Sunday at Pearl

This was a very hectic week for us - Luke was out of town for two days, then I was gone for two days (spending nine hours in the airport each day due to flight delays and missed connections), then Luke left again for gigs in Houston and Comfort. While he was gone the girls and I watched the Ballet Cracker (several times) and The Yittle Mermaid and went to the gym and Alamo 180's fifth anniversary party (Clem: we go to the bouncy house party again tomorrow?) Sunday was our planned family day.

We went to the Pearl farmer's market where I bought some local Wagyu beef. For brunch we walked to a new restaurant, Grayze, a few blocks away.

Josie did not want to share.

Watching with dismay and growing outrage at C playing on the train car.

FREE AT LAST!

Weekend baking projects using the cast iron skillet. Post-rise, pre-oven cinnamon rolls. (Destination: freezer) My rolling technique needs work.

Brown butter chocolate chip cookie. (Destination: work)

At the market I bought C a Kinderkitchen knife from Melisssa Guerra. (The duck scissors were quickly confiscated when I realized how sharp and spring-loaded they are). The rest of the line is so cute.

We packed the girls' suitcase for the beach, watched a couple of episodes of House of Cards, and then collapsed.

Botanical Garden / Doughnut Drive Through

Saturday was the opening day of a Storybook House exhibit at the Botanical Garden.

DON'T WANT MY PICTURE.

Eating a snack, mollified.

Trying to get a photo with Josie:

Got it... sort of.

Lunch at Cenner Margwet.

C's 'photo face' looks like a post (much denied) facelift Rene Zellweger.

Raptly watching The Little Mermaid.

On Sunday I hustled the girls out of the house, all of us pajama-clad (though I was wearing the sweats I refer to as 'performance lounge') so Luke could sleep.

I WANT A PINK OR PUPPLE DOUGHNUT. PINK IS MY FAVE-WIT COLOR PUPPLE IS MY FAVE-WIT COLOR.

Josie's pre-nap stare (thanks for the mirror rec, Becky!)

Funny story about Becky: I was directed to her blog by a Missouri co-worker after I moved to Texas. When Becky said she and her family were moving back to St Louis, I told my STL friends they should meet her (fun! kids the same age!) but... they already knew her?! In an unrelated way from my co-worker. Weird huh? Then this weekend Becky commented on an Instagram photo of an STL photographer that I follow whose wife works with Judith my STL esthetician and friend... what? Anyway, new friends, if you're reading this, I'm excited to meet you in the backwards-modern way (digital then (gag me) IRL)

The doughnut and iced coffee (McDonald's has a sugar free version, checks <---> balances) errands only took about 30 minutes and with Josie asleep and C happily chattering away and singing, I went into Nap Shark mode. A Nap Shark has to keep moving lest the kids wake up. A Nap Shark spends an hour driving around Alamo Heights, thinking of other drive-through possibilities. (I never appreciated drive-throughs before I had children; now much of my daily life is plotted around them).

Later in the day we went to the gym. Here's Betty Draper - all cat-eyes, white gloves, and emotional lability.

We went to Whole Earth Provisions for Keens for Josie and a new pair for Clem, but left with these. Naturally. SO SPARK-A-WEE! She's very into pattern recognition now - this morning she scooped up all of her spark-a-wee pairs (count: four) to show me.

March Goals

First week of March - time for a rundown of my February goals.

// 15 gym visits.YES! Excellent iron class attendance this month.

// Yoga 15 times and TRXing. Not even close.

// Two dates. We went to a play and one brunch date.

// Weekly meal prep. Doing great here which is having profound impacts on my stress level and mood.

 // Read one child development/parenting book a week. Sorry kids, Mommy would rather focus on her own brain development and read the New Yorker.

via GIPHY
 

// Make a photo book and order prints. I ordered prints for myself and my grandma with Social Print Studio.

// Wear the makeup I purchased in Seattle. A bit. Really liking Robin's favorite of 10 years, Prunella eyeliner.

I'm really, really annoyed at the yoga/TRX not happening. But here's how most nights go: C is in bed by 9:00. I try to pack their lunches while I'm making dinner because there's just something a little soul-crushing about this particular task at night. Ideally I'd be in bed by 9:30 so I can get up at 4:30 but no - dishwashing or Instagramming or laundry folding happens. Blah blah blah I've already talked about this. Nobody has any time so I don't know what I'm complaining about.

March goals are pretty modest due to two upcoming trips and vein ablation which requires that I take two weeks off from vigorous exercise.

// Keep up with meal prep and gym attendance. One lesson I gleaned from Gretchen Rubin's Better Than Before was the careful maintenance of good habits because of their fragility. (Also: the seeming unshakeability of bad habits). Though I can't lift weights or run after my leg procedure, I plan to get up at 4:30, go to Alamo 180, don a reflective vest, and walk (this is what I did in December after my right leg was zapped) to stay in the habit because it is REALLY EASY to not wake up so early.

// My procedure is in the third week of March which means I should get in plenty of yoga and TRX sessions beforehand! Wouldn't it be great if I could stop talking about this?!

//  Read those parenting books dammit.

// Make a photo book. As in, the easiest photo book ever. So often I let perfect be the enemy of good and have such analysis paralysis that nothing happens at all, much less something short of good or perfect. I'm embracing Alison's 2016 motto:

via The Alison Show

Just pick some photos and print it out. I'm going to love it regardless of effort expended! (ps Alison's IG feed is hysterical).

// Read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up to prepare for Elise's visit. (The book I have downloaded is The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: How to Stop Spending Time You Don't Have with People You Don't Like Doing Things You Don't Want to Do -- sounds like a better read, no?)

What's Making Me Happy This Week

// For some reason one e-mail account on my phone has messages from now then [nothing] then February 2010... the first message is from Amanda planning our trip to Chicago, the trip during which I'd meet Luke for the second time and OUR LIVES WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME. Thanks for the ultimate throwback, Hotmail!

// Flank steak that was perfect. Recipe from Cook's Illustrated here. I used the technique on steak I bought marinated. Cut into four pieces and place on a rack over a baking sheet, roast at 225 for 30 minutes, sear on the stovetop. Red meat never turns out well for me but this was great. Will be delicious over salad.

image via

// Reusable K cups. It didn't occur to me that these existed until I saw a small display at my grocery store. Now I'm filling it with socially responsible coffee plus creating much less waste - feeling energized and self-righteous!

// My sister and I were planning a girls' weekend in Arizona and but then I said heyyyyyyyyyyy how about you come to SATX and help me organize, oh, my entire house?

And she agreed but threatened me with actually following through!

// My parents are taking the girls to the beach for spring break. Here I'm giving Mom a brief run-down on their favorite foods and she responds with her real strong emoji game.

// Things are finally getting going in the second half of my current audiobook Gilead.