We've become that couple

That meets for dates in the airport. My flight arrived at 9:00 pm, his left a little after 10. Perfect for a quick bite and a debriefing of the weekend. As glamourous as it sounds Josh is in a different country every week, and I just trapes around the southeastern seaboard. I have to say being a good wife, daughter, volunteer and employee has caught up to me. When it rains it pours some good (amazing good) some bad (sad/scary bad) has happened all at the same time. Undoubtedly Gods hands are on me and everything that is happening in my life, and no matter what continent he is on I have the most amazing best friend and life partner I am on this journey with.

Meet you at Gate 39B, I'll be the one with the Vera Bradley roller bag.

In The News

Well look-y-loo all that sorting donations made the news.  Too bad they didn't highlight my favorite item - fringed lampshades-  They are going to be all the rage I tell ya!

Seriously if you are in town, you should totally check out this year's Junior League of Washington Tossed and Found!

Holly Morris - Tossed and Found: MyFoxDC.com

A Touch of Ireland

Wishing you a rainbow

For sunlight after showers—

Miles and miles of Irish smiles

For golden happy hours—

Shamrocks at your doorway

For luck and laughter too,

And a host of friends that never ends

Each day your whole life through!

A sweet Irish Blessing, but what I'm really wishing for you is a Shamrock Shake, lots of green beer, that your first rounds picks from your bracket win today, and a few daffodils straight from the fields of Ireland!

I had my friend Jamie over for dinner on Sunday night.  I had picked up three dozen daffodils earlier in the day and was telling her how I would love to be able to enjoy fresh flowers while I was at work AND at home-but it seemed kind of silly to bring them back and forth, and a little too much to buy fresh bouquets for both my home and office each week. 

On Tuesday one of my consultants surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of bright yellow daffodils, I told her exactly what I shared with my friend on Sunday night and that I had a bouquet sitting on my dining room table at home.  It must have been the luck of the Irish!

Glad to share "A Touch of Ireland" with you today, and the first blooms of springtime at my house this morning!

Springing Forward

Friday night, I decided it was high time to treat myself to a new pair of shoes.  I'm really ready for Spring to finally get here, so I figured buying a pair of nude peep toe pumps with a little bow would bring it to me a little faster.  So far my hypothesis has yet to be proven, but I'm still holding out.  I may need add some variables (more fun springy shoes in various shades) in order to reach a valid conclusion.  Ahh, the labor I must endure in the name of research and warm weather.

Speaking of the scientific method, research, statistics, etc- Weight Watchers has a new points algorithm, based more on the structure of food and as far as I'm concerned more focused on the glycemic index.  I was volunteering at the American Heart Association's Heart Ball at the Ritz a few weeks ago and one of my fellow Junior Leaguers was telling me about it.  I was intrigued.  When one of my friends asked me to join with her two Friday's ago-I decided to give it a shot, and drug Josh along with me.  He's mostly just interested in meeting Jennifer Hudson, and I can't really blame him, but I doubt she will be showing up to our meeting anytime soon.  I have to say I am thrilled with the new Points Plus Structure, the system combined with the work I have been doing with my nutritionist for the past year is really clicking.  I lost 10 pounds my first week!  Woo Hoo!  Anyway, we went out to lunch after the meeting and this is what I had:
Apple and Butternut Squash Soup, Corn and Crab Salad and sauteed veggies-YUM YUM YUM.

Later that night I was off to Baltimore to see Bethenny Frankel at her Skinny Girl Night Out Tour.  It was so fun!

I was up before dawn to volunteer with the Phi Mu DC Alumnae Group at the St. Patrick's Day 8K.  I think all this craziness has messed up my internal clock.

I'm not going to lie, I haven't been able to get straight on springing forward just yet.  I am totally out of wack and keep falling asleep on the sofa and have no idea what clock is telling me the right time in the morning-ha!  I hope to get it straightened out and fix all the clocks in my house after Junior League tonight.

Have you been able to successfully Spring Forward?

Madame Butterfly

Last night Josh and I went to see Madame Butterfly at the Kennedy Center.  It's a real treat whenever I'm asked to accompany him on any corporate event.  Fancy catered dinner in the private dining room, a driver taking us into the city, and always amazing seats...what's not to love?!

The Kennedy Center is so stately and beautiful. 

One of my favorite things about living in this area, is that every turn I make, I am surprised by a glowing monument, historic building or statue in a park (I usually end up getting a pretty good view as I drive around a few times... I still haven't mastered all the roundabouts DC has to offer).  Anytime I come upon one, I always think of the references to Dupont Circle it in the movie American President.

The President asks, "You didn’t get stuck on Dupont Circle again? To which Sydney replies, "It’s not funny- I hate that place! Can’t you declare it a Federal Disaster Area, or something?"  --So true, but I believe all traffic deserves that title at rush hour around here.

Anyway back to the show...Madame Butterfly

Walking into the Kennedy Center is always so grand, the deep red carpet, the flags from around the world, it's just breath taking. 

What's not breath taking, the swarms of people in blue jeans.  I do realize that all types of events and shows take place all day everyday at the Kennedy Center, and that the matinees are getting out just as we would be arriving for an evening show.  I just wished people would "dress" for the events, but that just doesn't happen anymore.  

Once we found our way out of the Hall of Nations to the Opera House foyer, I was pleased to see most everyone was dressed appropriately-how fun!

Before entering the Opera House, I was on a mad dash to find at pair of opera glasses, or as I like to refer to it-optoculars.  Silly me forgot my glasses, and even though we had fantastic seats, I wanted to see the detail of the costumes and sets.  I could have sworn that at past events we were able to rent them, but not last night.  Into the gift shop I went with hopes of walking out with a pair.

How lovely, but at $90 Josh was not really thrilled to buy them for me.  We did however reach a compromise.  I wore his glasses and he got these (te he he)

 

The show was beautiful, my favorite scene was when Cio-Cio-San filled the house with flowers upon the impending arrival of her husband BF Pinkerton.  Pink and white petals floated down from above as the beautiful Italian lyrics filled the hall.  It made me so excited for spring to arrive!

We love every chance we have to go to the Kennedy Center, and plan to return soon to see Wicked later this season.

Meet Bob

I had no idea everyone would be so excited about my new hair-do.  Thanks for making me feel important friends. 
Whithout further ado, please meet Bob - aka my new do.

A pre-bangs shot (or two in this case)



As my stylist put it, we took some weight off the ends, I think this will work out well.  Plus I'm super excited about my thick, yet wispy bangs. 

Hoping everyone is enjoying a good hair day. 

PS- I'm so glad I went back into my stylist to ask for this slight adjustment.  Although I am far from timid, I was a little nervous, but she was very happy to ablidge.  Why is it so hard to ask for what we want sometimes?

Buying into the Bob

Last night I went to get what has turned into a biannual hair cut.  My hair grows as slow as molasses, so it's just so hard for me to get it cut right when I get it a length I like. 

For most of my life I have kept it right around shoulder length-which works, although I always dream about having fun long hair.

I went in to the beauty parlor with my hair a few inches below my shoulders and left with it a few inches above my shoulders-the exact hair cut I wanted, just two inches shorter than I wanted it to be.  Needless to say I was upset.  I spent last night and this morning trying to convince myself that it was ok-this would finally get me to take my prenatal vitamins everyday, but it just wasn't working.

I didn't want a bob, but I have a bob.  So I just had to decide to embrace it, and make it the bob I want it to be-I had to buy into the bob. 

I'm going back to my stylist and getting bangs to go with my bob a-la 2 of my favorite bloggers:

Kelly

and

Caroline

Here goes nothing!

Time to face the music

Despite my best efforts, it's time for me to accept that I am getting older.  I haven't noticed too many grays in my brunette locks or winkles on my face, but the sands of time beginning to take their toll on my appearance (in what I feel are very strange ways). 

So I was wanting to chalk these changes up to the dry and bitter cold winter air here in DC, but I'm really starting to think that is not the case, and that it is in fact that I am getting on up there, and it's starting to show-ha!

Weird change #1-my hair has turned into a hot mess.  When I wake up in the morning my normally stick straight and very fine hair is completely knotted and sticking up in every which way imaginable.  I am talking CRAZY.  I made some adjustments, deep conditioners, balms, and even a silk pillow case to no avail-I don't know what I'm doing in my sleep, but when I wake up, it the equivalent of if I spent the evening teasing my hair beyond Snookie heights.  I'm going into my stylist tomorrow for a new cut-if that doesn't do the trick I don't know what I'm going to do. 

Weird change #2-the texture of the skin on my eyelids has changed (I told y'all weird stuff was happening).  Now it's bumpy and almost dry (if that's even possible).  I do not like it one bit.  I guess it's time to bite the bullet and start applying eye cream every morning and night.  Any recommendations?  I haven't found an eye cream I just love quite yet.  I've really been digging the new skin care products by Mario Badescu I picked up at Ulta in January. 

The Enzyme Cleansing Gel is my favorite cleanser EVER!

LOVE the Alpha-Grapefruit Cleansing Lotion

Also I adore the Honey Moisturizer although sometimes I feel like a need modern scientific advancments to truly mouisterize this face of mine and I go back to old faithful 

Lancome, why do you work so well, but make me so angry to spend $130 for 1.7 oz

Does anyone else have random signs of aging, or is it just me?  Any tried and true skin care items that can maintain what I have left of my youthful skin?

To practice day by day...

So, let me catch y'all up on some of the super-de-duper things that have been going on in my life.  I have been given the opportunity to volunteer with my sorority a lot since I have moved to DC.  Last week I was appointed by the National Council to serve as an Alumnae Officer, and I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to be a part of the Alumnae Projects Team. 

It seems like just yesterday that I was meeting some of my Alpha Nu (University of Florida) sisters for brunch at the Mayflower just shortly after I moved to DC.  I was asked by one of my sisters who was currently the president of the DC Alumnae Chapter if I would be interested in joining, which I was, so I did.  It was nice to have some events to go to throughout the year and meet sisters from other campuses around the country.  I ran for secretary the following year, and was able to work with some awesome women and really develop a strong communication system that I'm really proud of.  This year I'm serving at the VP of Programming and am so thrilled to be able to work with some truly fantastic women.  Our first "official" event was this past weekend as we celebrated Phi Mu's Founder's Day with a fun brunch at the Carlyle Hotel in Dupont.

Also being involved in the alumnae chapter gave me the opportunity to learn about other ways to volunteer with Phi Mu.  One of those was by advising the local chapter at American University.  I began as the Academic Excellence Adviser, then PR, and now my true love...Recruitment.  I am seriously a dork over singing songs, conversation workshops and funny skits.  The very best part of being an adviser to me is seeing the positive impact I have on these young women's lives.  It's amazing to watch them work hard and accomplish their goals.  Seriously to see that sparkle in their eyes-when a big announcement is made or how the hold their shoulders up a little higher after being elected as a leader by their peers.  It's such a rewarding experience.    I have also been rewarded by building friendships with the other advisers on the board.  It's been so much fun to get to know these ladies, and I really feel like I have made great connections and life-long friends with these women.  The other night we got together to prepare a sweet's table for the new member retreat that Claire hosted at her house-how cute is this?  We then treated ourselves to a Mexican Fiesta at Guapos-so fun, and just as good if not better then one of those cupcakes.

Early to bed...

How does it always happen that when I have the most going on, and great things to share, I never have time to do it.  Actually the first week of the month is always a doozy for me, with DAR, Junior League, sorority advisers meeting and my monthly DC Gator Club board meeting.  I went for broke and scheduled a sorority alumnae committee meeting as well-which probably explains why I ended up in bed at 8:15 on a Friday night (or maybe it was the big ole drunken ribeye I had at happy hour turned dinner).

A low-key evening was just what I needed, I caught up with a few friends on the phone, a few shows on the dvr and now I'm watching a food network special  Gaida in Paradise: Santorini, which is getting me totally excited for our trip in a few months.  Santorini (and Mykanos and Athens) here we come! 

I've been so busy lately that I haven't even begun to plan our trip.  Well, the travel agent has booked all our flights and hotels-but the research and figuring out all the awesome things to do-half the fun is planning everything, and then picking out all my outfits!  Humm, I need to pencil in some time for that on my calendar-ha!
I am enjoying flipping through all the spring catalogs that are coming in the mail, can't wait to wear lots of dresses this spring, and pick up a few new items for our trip! 
Another thing I'm planning to enjoy ----sleeping in on Saturday morning!  I could and should be volunteering to prepare for the junior leagues annual thrift sale, Tossed and Found, where I have spent more early Saturday mornings than I care to remember over the past two months.  When sorting through other's donations, my favorite section to bring items to is bric-a-brac and sub section within bric-a-brac is fringed lamshades, like this one I told Josh I was going to bring home.

And after I sleep in?  I'm joining weight watcher then going to the chocolate lovers festival down the street-that's just the ridiculous way I roll.  Happy Weekend!