The One with the Friday Ritual

A Friday ritual from Soule Mama, one of my favorite bloggers.  A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.  If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your “moment” in the comments for all to find and see.

 

The One Where I Rented the Runway

Late one night, several months ago Eamon read an article in the New Yorker about the founders of a website called renttherunway.com, who are ironically both named Jennifer. One goes by Jenn (good job with the 2 N's) and the other by Jenny. The girls were roommates at Harvard Business School and they felt the same dilemma that most girls I know have felt at some point in their life, the one where you have tons of clothes but nothing to wear.  The basic premise behind the website is that you can rent a dress from an expensive designer that would cost you hundreds to purchase but pennies to rent. Eamon thought I might be able to find a dress for at least one of the 6 weddings and events we have this year. We sat there that night, perusing the website, eyeing dresses and wondering how they would look on me. After a few weeks I finally decided to give it a try and rented two dresses for weddings we have on back to back weekends this month. The first wedding on the beach in Charleston, the second one in a park in New Orleans.

The dress arrives 1-2 days before the wear date (which you select on the website) and comes with a "fit kit" that contains fashion tape and other fun little accessories, a package with pre-paid postage to send the dress back after your 4 days you're allowed to keep it and a garment bag. I chatted with the fit specialist about the sizing and my body type. I did my research on the FAQs (what if the dress doesn't fit? what if it doesn't arrive in time? what if I spill something on it? what if I rip it? and the list goes on). The dress arrived perfectly packaged on Thursday before the wedding on Saturday. I've never been so nervous to open a package before.

The website offers handbags, jewelry for rent and also sells undergarments and intimates so I choose a pair of matching earrings. The customer service is unmatched. I had to have the package mailed to address, other than my home because we were already going to be at the destination wedding on the day it would need to arrive. They handled the different billing vs. shipping address perfectly! 

By now, you're dying to see the "the dress," I'm sure. I rented a Nanette Lepore dress, one I'd probably never purchase on my own and it was PERFECT, actually, it was beyond PERFECT. I felt beautiful in the yellow and blue preppy "Girls Only Dress" that  was ideal for a May wedding on the beach in Charleston, SC. 

Eamon and I had a great time at the wedding and I have Rent The Runway to thank for dressing me perfectly! I can't wait to try it again. Next rental - coming next week for yet another wedding; this one in New Orleans! 

Until then... I recommend RenttheRunway.com to everyone. Their prices can't be beat and the selection is incredible. Thank you to Jenn and Jenny... 

The One to Celebrate Mother's Day

May 8, 2011 was my first official Mother's Day. I was pregnant last year on Mother's Day and even though Andy hadn't been born and I had no idea how she'd look or what her name would be, I knew I loved her and I knew I was her mom!

The day started with breakfast in bed. Eamon got up super early and got cooking in hopes that he'd have breakfast ready before our sweet baby woke up. She clearly knew something was different about this particular Sunday morning because she woke up early. He kept her occupied in the kitchen until it was time to serve me breakfast. Mimosas, fruit smoothie, coffee, fried eggs, bacon, biscuits, and a cinimmon roll came in on a tray accompanied by a bouncing, drooling, smiley baby girl! It was the most perfect breakfast.

 It was the most beautiful day in Western Loudoun County so after church, we decided to grab everything we could think of and head out to Fabbioli Cellars for an afternoon picnic celebration.  The perfect way to celebrate before a hectic week of travel for work, family and fun. 

I headed out to Pasadena for a quick site visit with my boss the day after, then jetted off to Greenville, SC to visit my Aunt Jo and the rest of the family, then it was off to Atlanta for the celebration of a beautiful bride to be! One of my best friends from college, Beth Markle, is getting married in July. She asked me to be in the wedding and unfortunately I have a work commitment that will have me in Denver that weekend. I can't believe I'm going to miss her wedding. After meeting her Atlanta friends contingency I know it's going to be a weekend to remember.

The One Where We're Dating

We recently went on a date, a first date. We were nervous, wondered what to wear, had sweaty palms, used all the manners we've been taught, tried not to drink too much, and didn't overstay our welcome. It went pretty good we think. We'll have to see if they call! ....They?

Yes, they! We're dating other couples. I've noticed a trend among my friends who have children. Somewhere around the time their babies turn 5-6 months old, they start to try and find a life outside of "babyworld" again.  Please tell me I'm not alone. You have a baby, your world changes, your trying to keep up with friends, family, day-to-day tasks of life and somehow you realize it's 6 or so months later and you haven't seen your friends who don't have children in months. Why? How can you have fallen this out of touch with the outside world? How could you be so wrapped up in first teeth, introducing solids, a weening schedule, baby proofing and developmental milestones that you forgot to keep up with your babyless friends?

So, what next? Well - you date. You try to meet other couples and you date. You eye other people at church or the grocery store or at the playground, other couples who have children. You whisper about them and wonder if you should ask them over for a play-date or better yet, dinner (with the kids of course). You join meetup.com groups and try to find other mothers/fathers around your area. Which is how we met our latest date; a couple around our age who lives within walking distance of our house. We went over to their house for dinner a few weeks ago for our first date and since then, there have been several subsequent dates. We're getting more comfortable and not as concerned with what we wear or how clean the house is before they come over. What stage of this relationship comes next? A night out without the kids? What do you think we'll talk about? My guess is the kids! But that would be just fine with me. I'm just happy we're dating.

The One Where Spring Never Comes

And its raining. Again. More coming tomorrow and the next day and probably the day after that. I think I know why everyone undertakes massive "spring cleaning" projects and organizes rooms, closets, and basements in their homes. Spring = all rain all the time!

Andy's ready for some sunny days and outside playground smiles. I'm ready to get back on the grill. I even think Eamon's ready for cutting the jungle that is huge back yard.
But mostly I think we're all ready for those long warm Purcellville summer nights, where the sounds of baseball from across our street and Fireman's Field fill the air. Dinner is late and it doesn't matter. Weekends are never long enough. And you feel that crisp tightness on your skin after getting a tad too much sun.

The past week I've been consumed (okay obsessed) with planning Andy's 1st birthday party. Its really hard to not let it get completely out of hand. Happy Tuesday! Here's a sneak peak at my colors/theme for her party!

The One Where It All Goes Really Fast

Yikes! Turns out I'm not very good at this blogging thing. I have found myself recently marveling at just how quickly time is passing. Everyone, and I do mean everyone - even strangers who seem to think it's their mission in life to offer me advice on how to raise my child - frequently tell me, "enjoy it, it goes by so fast!"

<insert cheesy "this is so cliche" eye roll>

God help me if I ever become of of those people who tells strangers who have tiny newborns or are pregnant, "enjoy it, it goes by so fast!" I used to want to smack those folks. The more time that passes and the older Andy gets the more I wonder about her first year on this earth. It's drawing to a close. ONE YEAR! I kept thinking after we'd brought her home from the hospital that someone was going to knock on the door and take her back. But as the days and weeks passed and then months, no one came. One day it just sort of sunk in. She's ours. We get to keep her, and no one is coming to get her. I think the next day it really hit us, "oh $%*#!"

So, here's another vow to re-energize this blog. It should be easy to keep this up considering we do plenty to provide content. Let's see - since the last post (gasp! at the end of January), we've all been to Phoenix together, Andy and I have been to Birmingham to celebrate my sister's 40th birthday and to Richmond to visit Uncle Bennie and Auntie Lauren. I went away by myself to Denver. Andy's started crawling, gotten two teeth, and decided she wants to pull up on everything. Eamon's been to San Diego and New York for work. Eamon and I have both celebrated birthdays and first wedding anniversary and went to a black tie Oscar Party at the W in Washington DC. There's probably loads I've left out so hopefully I can fill in the blanks at some point.

We also received the terrible news that my Aunt Jo has a pretty aggressive form of brain cancer. As we begin this difficult journey I'm finding I squeeze Andy just a little bit tighter, snuggle up to Eamon just a little bit closer and try to enjoy it all just a little bit more because as much it pains me to admit, it really does all go by way too fast.

The One About the Starving Vegetarians

I used to think that vegetarians surely were starving themselves. I believed they were all anorexic looking, emaciated model types who were (name the movie), "one stomach virus away from their goal weight" and sure to be a size 00 (a size made only to make the rest of us feel somehow completely inadequate and obese). I mean, why wouldn't you want to eat meat? What would you eat instead? How could you ever get full if you don't eat meat? Well for those keeping track, for the record:  I'm admitting I was wrong, very very wrong.

In an effort to be frugal, healthier, conserve, eat more local foods, and generally have more energy, Eamon and I have been trying to eat vegetarian most nights of the week. We try and only incorporate an actual meat protein twice a week. And its working. For every reason I listed and many more, it's working. You'd be surprised at how much money you can save. I'm not alone in this modern take on vegetarian. And this is no new movement. Back in 2003, Paul McCartney backed the Meatless Monday movement and its popularity soared. This style of eating has been coined flexitarian. I can't say that I am a flex anything. But, the money savings aside what I can tell you is that I enjoy how I feel after a satisfying bowl of rice and beans. Or last weeks lentils, rice, cabbage and carrots. I do have more energy. We do save money and I don't feel like we're just eating rabbit food. And I do feel full. I am by no means starving.

Don't get me wrong, I love a delicious medium rare beef tenderloin, or a well seasoned herb crusted pork tenderloin and I'll take that extra B on my BLT. But this new culinary adventure for me has been exciting and encouraging.  As many of you know, I love to cook. I love to follow new recipes and I am addicted to the Food Network. And trying to find creative meals that do not include a cut of meat has been an entertaining experience. Curry dishes, beans, veggie lasagna, bean soups, chili, chard, frittatas, the list is endless.


I recently watched an episode on the Cooking Channel (as if there weren't enough cooking shows for me to be addicted to on the Food Network, they had to create another channel) called Cooking for Real, with Sunny Anderson. She was making food for the BIG GAME (read: Super Bowl) and was shredding chicken for what she called nachos blanco with roasted jalapeno salsa. A few years ago, the idea of chicken nachos would have had me running to the closet story to buy the juiciest rotisserie bird I could find, but this past weekend my eye caught a different component to those nachos... that roasted jalapeno salsa. I watched as she roasted the garlic, onions and jalapenos in the oven and blended them with cilantro, lime juice and salt and pepper. My mouth watered. I couldn't get it out of my mind. So when we put black bean tacos on the menu for a night this week I knew I had to make this salsa. We weren't disappointed. And, I'm not starving (and just to note - it's almost 4 hours post dinner now). Anyway - try it.  I promise you'll add it to your line-up. We enjoyed it with black beans that were sauteed with onion, red pepper, celery and spanish seasonings, rice that we'd cooked with lime zest, and corn tortillas.

Salsa: 

3 green jalapenos, halved and seeded  

2 cloves garlic \

1/2 medium onion  

2 tablespoons olive oil  

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro  

1/4 cup  water or veggie stock  

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice  

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

On a baking sheet toss the jalapeno halves, onion, and garlic with olive oil and arrange so that garlic cloves hide under the cavities of the jalapeno halves. Season with salt and pepper, and roast in the oven until the jalapenos begin to blacken and char along with the onions, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and place all the ingredients, oil included, into a food processor. Add the cilantro, stock, and lime juice, blend until smooth, taste and season with salt.


More recipes to come in later blogs, but I just had to share this one with the Super Bowl coming up - it's the perfect chip dipper!