An update of sorts
Here's the latest.
Exercise update: I now have embraced the spinner inside of me. I now love spin (or more accurately, how I feel after spin class is over)! Only once a week though. Step continues to be my favorite. I really should incorporate weights/crunches/lunges more but I am a cardio queen right now. Unless that kind of stuff is in a class, it's hard for me to do it on my own (like after I have done machines). When I do machines, I have been doing 20 minutes each on 3 machines (like hiking treadmill, the running elliptical, the stairclimber, the arc trainer--whichever option is available). I have also embraced the 5:30 wake up time (well twice I have). It's so much easier to go that early in the morning. Sammy is now happily going to the babysitting. So I imagine that I can really make my goal of 5 times a week.
Twilight update: I purchased the DVD. My friend burned me the CD and I listen to it in the car often. I am halfway through Eclipse. (I read Twlight, then Breaking Dawn, then New Moon). I have visited the New Moon movie websites. Any tabloid headline that has Robert Pattinson in it catches my eye in the supermarket checkout line. Pathetic, huh?
Hair update: My hair is growing out nicely. I can put it in a ponytail now. It's a short ponytail, but nevertheless it is one. A while back I decided that since my hair is one of my nicest features, so let's go crazy and grow it out a bit.
TV update: Lost continues to be our favorite. Still loving Biggest Loser (Ron, you were a bit mafia last night). The Mentalist is my new favorite show. Still hanging in with 30 Rock, the Office and Grey's. We like to watch Amazing Race as a family.
Yankees update: Josh and Mark went to the game last night and report that the new stadium is awesome. Nick Swisher is my new favorite Yankee. What about the demise of Chein Ming Wang? This is very sad for me. Still not overly impressed with CC, but always happy when AJ starts a game. One more game until we play Boston!
Kids update: Everyone is doing well. Baseball season is in full swing, with Josh on the Cubs with 2 good friends, and Matthew on the Rivercats with 2 good friends for t-ball. Josh hopes to be able to pitch soon. As soon as it ever stops raining, we need to take M. out for some practice. Too many grounders through the legs at his first team practice. Caroline is sad sad sad her best friend is moving next week. But we've had a tender mercy--she has started playing with the 2 girls across the street frequently. This helps a lot. She likes their guinea pigs. Sammy is great...best little companion ever. Happy to play whatever whenever. He's a keeper.
Summer update: We are getting very excited. Kids are registered for swimming lessons. Only about 9 weeks until San Diego! Can't wait.
Goodbye Bill
Yesterday brought the untimely and too early death of my former boss, former Congressman Bill Orton.
Bill was a great man, truly devoted to his family, the gospel, and his constituents in Utah. He will be sorely missed.
I worked for Bill from 1994-1996. Three times my life intersected with him while he was in office. The first was when I had moved to Washington DC. My time as an intern was to be split between 2 offices, the PBS station at Howard University and the INS. The INS internship fell through, but I was able to get on 3 days a week at Bill's office. I learned all sorts of things and had a great experience. A possible job in a PR agency in SLC brought me back to Utah--I didn't get that job, but several weeks later, Bill's office called with a entry level opening and I happily returned to DC.
After a year or so working on the Hill I began to get a little restless and I was so poor...the allure of higher pay took me away from the Hill. I hated my new job, so asked for my old job back with Bill's office after 2 weeks. They took me back and everything was right again in the world.
I even lived in their basement apartment for a short time and looked after baby Will so they attend functions in the evenings. One time, I asked to go with them to the Washington DC Temple Visitor's Center, where Pres. Hinckley was speaking. I had the priviledge of meeting Pres. Hinckley. I also met my future boss, LaMar that night. I worked for LaMar after Bill and Jac returned to Utah.
I only saw him several times after that...but never will forget the many kindnesses he showed me as a struggling twenty-something trying to decide what to do with her life. Thanks Bill, for the second and third chances you gave me...which led me to stay in DC which led me to Mark.
Central Park
Susie, Sam and I had an excellent morning at Central Park on Tuesday. We went on the carousel, took loads of photos, admire the flowers, visited the zoo, had a great walk and a lovely lunch at Serendipity (where I wish they'd make the menus just a tad bigger). Sam was a trooper through it all--we tried the no stroller approach and it was beautiful.
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
This is me in front of 97 Orchard Street, the tenement we toured on Monday.
I had been wanting to visit this museum for--no kidding--10 years. It was well worth the wait. Susie and I drove down and parked in the "free with museum ticket" validation lot. If you go, order your tickets online at least 24 hours before. We took the 12 p.m. Getting By Tour where we visited 2 apartments from 2 different time periods (1873 and 1936). Our tour guide Raj did an excellent job of painting a picture of the conditions at the time. Fascinating. Can't wait to go back with the family. It will not be 10 years before we go back.
Easter happenings
These are the Easter clothes this year. We had bought Caroline's dress at the Scout Auction. It was made especially for her by our very talented and wonderful Sister Darger. Josh got a new tie, and Matthew wore Josh's Easter shirt from 4 years ago (he had the same one in a 3-6 month size, sob!) and Sammy wore Matthew's easter outfit from 2 years ago. Yeah for repurposing!
We dyed our eggs Friday night. These are Sammy's and Matthew's and they turned out beautifully. They went through their 9 eggs each so quickly and wanted more and more to dye (I had done 36--and Josh and Caroline were really taking their time doing theirs. I love all the shades of blue (Sammy's favorite color) and green (Matthew's favorite color).
New York City in Bloom
At Madison Square Park, they had beautiful flowers surrounding the fountain. I want to plant something like this at my house next Spring!
Everything in NYC is blooming now. Having been to the City 4 times in the last 6 days, let me say this is a wonderful time to be in NY. Daffodils, forsynthia, cherry blossoms, bulbs of all sorts. Makes me so happy!
Little Red Lighthouse
Josh's suggestion for our last day of Spring Break was a picnic at the Little Red Lighthouse. It was brilliant. A bit overcast, but we had a great time. We headed down to Dad's office for the rest of the afternoon.
Cupcake comparison
Paying $2.50 for a cupcake in the City is going rate. I had cupcakes on Friday from the Cupcake Cafe with my little family inside Books of Wonder--which is an absolutely fabulous children's book store. On Saturday I went to the Magnolia Bakery with Susie before we saw South Pacific.
Let me say that Magnolia is infinitely better. Better frosting to cupcake ratio. As you can see, the Cafe one is pretty (purple flower--this is actually the large size, priced at $3.50) and was close to Mark's office. But Magnolia was way better--YUM! I had the chocolate chocolate and Suz had vanilla frosting with chocolate cake. Calories well spent!
Wanted: a cape or two
We have a nice grandma. She sent us an Easter package today that included 3 matching superhero shirts. We have one cape, a wonderful party favor for Matthew. We need another cape or two. We had many tears over the singluar cape. I can't believe they (specifically the almost 3 year old) bought it when I said, "Let's look online to see if there's a cape we can order." Crying ceased for a few minutes.
I wish I could sew. I can't. I called a couple of local haunts, no capes in stock. Luckily there's etsy. For about $40 I can get 2 capes and 3 masks (Caroline needs a pink cape because she plays superheroes too.) These capes are cute, can be personalized and are homemade. Bonus offFree shipping. I could be a superhero if I could sew. I can also be a superhero cuz I can google and type in a credit card number.
Twilight on the brain again
I got from Redbox Twilight on DVD. Figured it was good viewing for when Mark was at Priesthood session. I watched it and liked it a lot. Enough to reread the book and watch the movie again last night. So in the last 2 days, I watched 8 hours of conference, 4 hours of Twilight and reread the book.
After Guernsey (see last post), I tried to read another book. I picked up Hot, Flat and Crowded. Yes, interesting topic but did not interest me enough to keep reading. Then, I picked up our book club book, which I may revisit. But now I am trying to avoid going right to New Moon. Actually, I'd rather reading Breaking Dawn again but feel like I should do it in order.
Oh, Edward you make us all fall in love with you!
A hearty recommendation
Stop what you are doing. Get thee to the bookstore or the library or library website to buy/check out/or put on reserve "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.
Then, sit down and prepared to be thoroughly entertained. Ignore the children and the housework. Get a box of tissues. You'll need them in part 2. Make sure there's something for them (you know, your family) to eat so they can fend for themselves because you won't want to be disturbed. Then be sad when you've read it and it's over and you won't come across another book that's so charming and endearing for a long time.
I am serious. This is a great book. Let me know how you liked it when you are done. You can thank me then too.
