"hope is the thing with feathers"

Mom!!

2010-05-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

Mom, I can't thank you enough for the dedication, generosity, endless kindnesses and love you have shown us. For over 30 years you have unselfishly given your time, energy and love to help us become the people we are today. You and dad are tremendous role models and I'm so thankful for you both.

Snow Again!

2010-02-13T16:44:00.000-08:00

James arrived just ahead of 'Snowmaggedon' and 'Blizzard 2010' that hit Northern VA last week. The first storm began Friday and dumped two feet of snow (30 inches in Baltimore!) here. The storm waned on Sunday but the roads, etc. were a disaster. James and I had a touch of cabin fever and had to get out everyday, at least for walks through the drifts. Thankfully there are a few restaurants nearby and most, if open, were filled with the festive "we are in this together" feeling.

The second storm hit on Tues and lasted until Wed. night. It was a true blizzard - we probably got 8-12 inches but it was hard to say because of the wind and drifts.

The Feds were closed Mon-Thurs and a two hour delay on Friday. By Friday I was most anxious to get out and back to work.

Again Snow

2010-01-30T09:34:00.000-08:00

Seems like I only have time to blog when its snowing out. We are having a beautiful snowfall today and I'm enjoying the time inside.
Plan is to prepare my apt. for my brother's arrival - Feb 4!!! - and then have some dinner and maybe a movie with the bf

First Snowfall of the Winter!

2009-12-06T12:26:00.000-08:00

I woke up yesterday morning to a beautiful snowfall. Thick, heavy flakes fell all day long yesterday. Perfect way to usher in the Christmas season.
I got a tree on Friday night and my friend Katherine helped me decorate - I made batches of sugar cookies and ginger cookies yesterday with my friend Heather and today am just enjoying the seasonal decorations, etc.
Tomorrow I'm leaving for a five-day trip to Oslo. I can't wait to see the land of the Vikings!

Happy Birthday, DAD!

2009-11-22T19:27:00.000-08:00

I can't say enough about what a great dad we have...thanks for teaching me about football, for sending us to summer camp, for always having the boat ready and for your willingness to ski us, for coming to watch my soccer games, and for always taking care of us. Love you!

Saturday in Happy Valley

2009-11-22T19:21:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I was lucky enough to get two tix to the Penn State/Indiana game in Happy Valley. It was my first visit to State College and hopefully not my last! My friend Greg and I left VA at 6:30am and arrived just before game time. Our seats were in the middle section on the 20-yard line.
Family friends of ours, the Battiali's, both work at Penn St. and were able to get us the tix. They also hosted us for a lovely Italian meal after the game.
I was so excited to see Joe Pa coach a game live. Another W for the Nittany Lions.
PSU followed up this week with a nice win over Michigan State.

Everyday since 4/23/2009...

2009-11-17T17:24:00.000-08:00

I have waited to see an updated post on my sister's blog. Blog, Sarah, Blog. You always write about such interesting things. I fully admit my own lackluster performance over the past few months but I intend to get back into it. Starting tonite!
At the moment I'm at a Starbucks listening to "O Holy Night" ... it's too early for this but as the Starbucks employee next to me pointed out to his friend "if the haters don't like it they can leave."

Perfect Fall Weekend

2009-10-25T18:14:00.001-07:00

I'm back after a long hiatus from the blogging world!

This weekend started with a trip to Charlottesville. I stayed with my good friend Jordan (thanks Jordan!!!) who cooked a great pre-race dinner for me, and then met Susan and me Sat. am after the race for breakfast. The race was the Charlottesville 10k Fall Classic, a fun, hilly run that winds through downtown. After the race we went to the UVA/GA Tech game. Tech won big. The weather was really bizarre...pouring rain, moments of sunshine, more pouring rain. After the game we went to Littlejohn's, which is my friends Brooke and Jeff's favorite Charlottesville spot.
Apparently Nomar Garciaparra was at the game, and afterwards we saw Sylven Landesberg, the ACC basketball rookie of the year, wandering around town.
Today the weather was beautiful - 65 and sunny. I played soccer and then spent the afternoon at Susan's carving pumpkins.

weekend planz

2009-07-25T14:25:00.000-07:00

new HP movie
dinner at Guapos
Crystal City 5k
Mass followed by pancakes
soccer
golf

Girlz Nite

2009-06-27T17:43:00.000-07:00

My friend Brooke invited everyone over for dinner this past week. She had an awesome Mexican spread and used several of her new wedding gifts, including a quesadilla maker and margarita maker. Fun.

Summer Solstice Party Pics!

2009-06-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

Susan, Katherine and I hosted a summer solstice party this past weekend. It poured all day Saturday but cleared up just in time. We served grilled kebobs, peach and basil salad, fattoush, which is a delicious salad made with fresh garden vegetables, an array of desserts, margaritas, etc.
I hope everyone had a great Father's Day Weekend. I had internet issues yesterday so I haven't posted for Father's Day yet but stay tuned!!

Julie's wedding!

2009-06-14T17:14:00.000-07:00

FC farmer's market

2009-06-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

I've lived in NOVA for almost four years and finally made it to the Falls Church farmer's market. It's the perfect size market with a nice variety of fruits, vegetables, fresh milk, cheese and breads. So cool and I can't believe I haven't taken advantage of it before today.
I met some friends for breakfast (pancakes!) this morning and then picked up some stuff at the farmer's market before a day of chores, weightlifting, and other stuff not worth blogging about.
Tomorrow I'm playing soccer in the morning then having an early dinner with my friend Cindy who is in town for Korean language training to prepare for her next post.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Wedding Weekend Recap

2009-06-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

I am reluctant to post too much until I have pics to go with but a few highlights...

My cousin Julie, the bride, was radiant. I can't think of any other words to describe her.

It was so great to see my extended family. My cousin Laird has an 8 mo old baby who is just adorable. She is, to my knowledge, the only published author in the fam. and I really enjoyed talking with her about her latest book.

Fun!!! Julie's wedding was one of the most enjoyable weddings I've ever participated in or attended.

More soon.

Runnnnnnnn

2009-06-02T18:58:00.000-07:00

I found a great article about running in the NY Times today. The most encouraging part is that a couple of the runners featured in the article are over 60!

Enjoy!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/health/02well.html?_r=1

Happy Anniversary to Sarah and Tom

2009-05-16T18:29:00.001-07:00

It seems like just yesterday that we were celebrating Sarah and Tom's wedding in Athens. Hope you guys have a happy weekend and look forward to seeing you soon!

Happy Birthday, James!

2009-05-13T15:39:00.000-07:00

My brother James is 27! Happy Birthday to you! James is teaching English in China - we are all so proud of him and hope to see him sometime this summer. The first pic above is James doing some acrobatics on the lake in NH - one of his many talents. The second was taken on last year's ferry ride from New London, CT to Long Island on our way to Rene and cousin Jimmy's house.

This one's for you, Mom

2009-05-10T12:46:00.000-07:00

I did my first sprint tri this morning and dedicated the race to my wonderful mom. It wasn't difficult to find inspiration. My mom is always my biggest cheerleader and continues to have a big influence on the person I am today.

Our family has always been her priority and in spite of all the time and attention she gives to us she has had an amazing professional career...a phd in Education and recent Principal of the Year honors for the State of Georgia to name a few. She is just great and words are not enough.

I included some pictures from last year's Mother's Day which was also Tom's graduation weekend - the first picture is of mom and Mrs. Wood, followed by a picture of mom and dad, and pictures of all of their "children" including Kerry.

We love you Mom.

Julie's wedding!

2009-05-09T07:26:00.000-07:00

I'm getting excited about my cousin Julie's wedding which is only a few weeks away! My bridesmaid's dress came in yesterday and it fits very well - thankfully no alterations necessary. It's navy, strapless, and has pockets - a definite bonus.
Can't wait, Jules!

Monday Night Nats

2009-05-07T18:45:00.001-07:00

My colleague Dan kindly offered me his Nats tickets for Monday night's game against the Astros. Because of the rain there was a small crowd and great opportunities to catch balls and snap some great pictures. My friend Susan came with and we had a great time. Of note...Marquis Grissom, former Brave, is now the Nats first base coach. He threw me a ball late in the 7th...maybe he knew how many times I saw him play in Atlanta. ;)

A weekend to remember!

2009-05-01T18:07:00.000-07:00

I had a great long weekend in New England. I arrived in Manchester NH on Thurs am - mom and dad picked me up at the airport and we drove to Justin's house to see the twins.
After a couple days of relaxing at the lake we drove to Boston. Mom and dad continued their drive to GA and I stayed in Boston for a fun party with our lake friends at Sarah and Tom's beautiful apt. We watched the Sox/Yankees and enjoyed cold beer and a great dinner. Thanks Sarah!

half-marathon, wedding fun!

2009-04-19T08:08:00.000-07:00

My friend Kevin and I ran the Charlottesville 1/2 marathon yesterday. I finished in just under two hours. The course was the same as last year - I had forgotten how beautiful the countryside is in C-ville! The race started downtown at the C-ville Running Store and wound through town and then out into horse country. The 1/2 marathon turnaround point had a great view of the mountains while the marathoners continued their run through some pasture area.
After the run Kevin and I had a lovely breakfast with Jordan. She was kind enough to pick up our packets for us the night before. We were right on time for the race, which started at 6:30am...thankfully the race started about ten minutes late. I was late getting to Kevin's house which didn't leave us much time to make the starting line.
Thanks to Jordan we had our packets just in time! Jordan ran the C-ville ten-miler with Kevin a week or so ago. I'm so proud of her new running habit!
Kevin and I had a few hours to recoup before our friend Brooke's wedding last night. It was such a fun event! The wedding was at the Hilton in Old Town, Alexandria. The ceremony was outside in the garden, followed by a cocktail hour and a sit-down dinner. There was a lot of dancing - I was happy I took some preventative advil so I could join in the fun!
I'm a little sore today but not too bad. What a great weekend!

GA for Easter

2009-04-11T07:59:00.001-07:00

I am headed to GA in a little while for the Easter weekend!
I'm excited to get back to Athens and enjoy the family and the sunshine.
Happy Easter, everyone!

Shoutout to Sheila Kahrs

2009-04-08T18:10:00.001-07:00

It was announced yesterday that Mom won Principal Of the Year for the state of Georgia! I am so happy and proud of her. Mom does some very innovative and progressive things in her school but I think what makes her unique is her unfailing integrity and compassion for her students.
Congrats on this well-deserved honor!!!

http://www.barrowcountynews.com/news/article/2616/

Opening Day!

2009-04-05T14:29:00.000-07:00

The baseball season kicks off tonight and I'm so excited. To me it means the start of summer...cookouts, swimming and skiing, long days and nights, and icecream.
I only made it to one baseball game last year but it was a memorable one...Red Sox vs White Sox at Fenway Park. My friend Kevin and I were in Boston for a conference and were able to score some tickets. We sat beside the green monster and I caught a ball that one of the White Sox players threw to me during bp! It was very exciting.
Hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather and looking forward to spring/summer!

Thought for the day

2009-04-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

"the arrow of truth should be dipped in honey"

One of my fav work colleagues quotes this often and I think it's absolutely true.

Oorah!!!

2009-03-30T17:58:00.000-07:00

I ran a 10k race on Saturday on the Marine Corpse Base in Quantico. My friend Brooke and I left Arlington around six am for the eight am start. Several of my co-workers were running too and it was so fun to run together and then cheer everyone to the finish line.

The Marines organized the race as part of the 'race to register' series. Anyone who runs one of the shorter races in the series is automatically qualified for the marathon in the fall. The Marines are obviously well organized and put on a great race. There was music every couple miles and groups of Marines lining the course.

The first three miles were on pavement, the next two on a trail through the woods. And that's when the fun started. It's been raining here for several days straight and the mud was unbelievable. About a 1/2 mile into the woods everyone split off the trail and were walking up the sides of the trail. The middle of the trail was literally empty so I decided to go for it. I ran on my toes, through the mud, for the next mile and passed literally hundreds of people. It was such a mess.

After the race we went to Crackerbarrel for breakfast and then to the outlet malls on the way home. All in all a great weekend.

Today's Horoscope is just what I needed

2009-03-21T18:56:00.000-07:00

Scorpio October 23 - November 21
For Saturday, March 21 -Lately, your healthy ambition has been feeling a bit under the weather -- and this situation must be addressed today. All you need to do is give yourself a small goal to meet before the end of the day. And once you show yourself that you are capable of getting things done, you will awaken that sense of aggressive ambition that is lying dormant inside of you right now. Pick one thing to do -- meet that new cutie, get someone's number, or just get in an hour at the gym.

Erin Go Bragh!

2009-03-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

St. Patty's Day has always been one of my favorite holidays. This year my friend Susan and I walked to an Irish bar in falls church after work and had a few pints. I haven't been out on a 'school night' in quite a while and I definitely felt it the next day. It was worth it though - the atmosphere was festive and everyone enjoyed warmer than average temps - especially since we were in tents outside.
I took advantage of the holiday to make an Irish bread from Grandma O'Shea's recipe book. I brought it to work with a stick of butter and both were gone by the end of the day!

finding joy in the little things

2009-03-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

A few of my favorite things - all the more valuable in these tough economic times...

-fresh coffee on cold mornings
-crocuses poking through snow
-peanut butter and chocolate
-spring
-trail runs
-thoughts of summer!

Spring?

2009-03-07T14:58:00.000-08:00

I think it's a little too early to say that spring is here for good, but we had a nice taste of it today. I went for a long walk this morning, worked out at the gym and will soon head out to Tortilla Coast on capitol hill for a good time with friends and margaritas and maybe some chips and guac...

Last night my good friends Brooke and Jeff came over for dinner. The brought the beer and I supplied the rest. I tried roasted green beans this time and they turned out really well. If anyone wants to try...heat oven to 450 and put a cookie sheet in the oven for about ten minutes to heat up. Toss the beans in a couple teaspoons of olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, then arrange them in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Cook for about 8 minutes. Delish!

snow morning!

2009-03-02T08:08:00.001-08:00

We got several inches in the DC area last night and this morning and its gorgeous outside!! We have a two hour delay to report to work so my friend Susan and I took advantage and walked to breakfast and back. It was a good 4 miles in the snow so I'm counting it towards my daily fitness. I'm headed into work for a few hours - hopefully the traffic won't be bad. Enjoy the snow everyone!!!

Georgia on My Mind

2009-02-14T17:20:00.001-08:00

I'm home this weekend for a little r & r. It's been a lovely weekend so far. Dad picked me up from the airport in his '57 bird and mom had a great lamb chop dinner waiting for us. Friday I took Kerry for a long walk and enjoyed a manicure with Sarah. Sarah and Tom are at a wedding today in SC but are coming back to GA tomorrow. The weather here has been beautiful - a little sun on my face has worked wonders. I can't even remember Virginia :) I hope everyone has a fun and happy Valentine's Day!

60 and sunny!

2009-02-08T17:12:00.000-08:00

what a beautiful day in arlington! I played soccer outside and had to wear sunscreen. It was a busy but fun weekend. Highlights include a whole foods lunch and movie with my friend Heather...trail run with Susan and Kevin...party in Adams Morgan for my friend Aaron who just returned from Afghanistan... and soccer today.
Hope everyone is well!

busy=happy

2009-02-01T11:38:00.000-08:00

I am most productive and happy when my time is structured and this weekend has had a great mix of commitments and fun. I had brunch with my friends Tom and Tricia yesterday - they are both from Boston and I love listening to their accents. They have a 5 month old baby named Cavan - very Irish which I love - and we had a great time talking and eating blueberry pancakes. I made an Irish bread for the occasion using Grandma O'Shea's recipe, and it turned out very well! I ran some errands, went to the gym and was somewhat productive cleaning my apt.
This am I had another brunch at my friends Kelly and David's house. I made a cinnamon-raisen bread that also turned out well. They have two little boys who are adoreable. The oldest, Connor, taught us how to be ninja's and shared all of his cool toys.
Tonight I am going to my friends Brooke and Jeff's superbowl gathering. Jeff is an amazing cook - the last time I was there we had bacon-wrapped shrimp, home-made guac, and some other delicacies. I'm looking forward to the spread again this year. I'm bringing cupcakes. Pretty lame but I did a lot of baking this weekend and I'm worn out.
Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Dress for Success

2009-01-30T17:27:00.000-08:00

I have a lot of clothes I don't wear anymore for one reason or another. Normally I donate to Good Will but I recently saw an ad for "Dress for Success" (www.dressforsuccess.org), a non-profit that helps disadvantaged women prepare for a career. The have drop-off locations all over the country and I found one near me this morning. I felt good all day knowing that someone somewhere might have more confidence going into a job interview or their first day of work.
I feel like donating is on the short end of contributing to our country and I would like to make more time for volunteer work. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Good Luck, Sarah!

2009-01-29T18:41:00.000-08:00

Good luck to Sarah as she takes the GMAT this weekend!

Fabulous Weekend, Part II

2009-01-24T09:22:00.000-08:00

On Sunday afternoon we went to Lincoln Center to see South Pacific! It was a great revival of a classic show. The theater was perfect - intimate with a cool retractable stage.
Afterwards my cousin Elise, who just graduated from college and is working in NYC, joined us for drinks and dinner. All in all an awesome weekend and it was hard to get back in the swing this week.
Thankfully I had Tuesday off to relax and watch the Inauguration events. What a day! I am so excited for our country.

Fabulous Weekend, Part 1

2009-01-20T17:51:00.000-08:00

I spent this past weekend in NY with my family. The trip was a Christmas gift from my parents and it was one of the best gifts I've ever received! We stayed at the NYAC - my brother-in-law Tom and my dad are members. It is a beautiful building overlooking Central Park and it has great facilities, including an awesome gym, bars, and dining rooms. Sarah and I took full advantage of the gym including the indoor track and weight room.
My aunt Kate and cousin Julie joined us and it was so great to see them both. Julie is getting married in May and I am a bridesmaid! The dresses are pretty and I'm not just saying that because Julie's blog is linked to mine ;)
On Saturday afternoon mom's friend and one of my favorite people, Patsy Lucas, met us for lunch and on Saturday night we met Tom's parents at Keene's steak house for a very memorable meal. For those of you who read my blog you'll note that I have not yet started my month of perfect living...
Stay tuned for part II...

A Month of Near-Perfect Livin'

2009-01-14T17:52:00.000-08:00

I read about a woman who experimented with a month of near-perfect living. She studied the food pyramid and followed it closely. She got the recommended 60 minutes of exercise five days a week and 8 hours of sleep a night. She even flossed every night, which apparently was a struggle before... The first few days were tough but she stuck it out and at the end of week one she could see physical and mental changes. And at the end of one month of near-perfect living she was able to eliminate a lot of the artificial fixes - multiple cups of coffee and undereye makeup to cover the dark circles - she relied on so heavily before.
I'm thinking about trying my own experiment. I do well on the exercise part but I definitely don't get eight hours of sleep and I rely a lot on the artificial fixes.
Has anyone tried this type of experiment??

Greetings from Inauguration-ville

2009-01-14T17:50:00.000-08:00

This place is crazy! National guardsman running everywhere, free concerts with Beyonce (!) and others at the Lincoln Memorial, and a sense of excitement and hope in the air.
I hope everyone has a chance to watch the festivities!

Finally Saturday

2009-01-10T07:04:00.000-08:00

It's been a tough week at work. I'm not sure why...I think a combination of no more Christmas, bad weather, lots to do but no motivation.
I LOVE my job and am usually really excited to go in but this week has been a struggle. I'm hoping the weekend will reinvigorate me and I will go back on Monday with a renewed spirit.
Anyone else have the post-Christmas reluctance?

Two-a-day Jan

2009-01-09T18:13:00.000-08:00

I've decided to do two-a-day workouts for the month of January. I've done weeks of two-a-days in the past and I've found its a great way to jump start weightloss and to mix in new forms of cardio. I Now that week one is down, I am going to take one day off this weekend to recover.
One of the challenges this week has been dealing with additional hunger. I was not prepared for it and ended up eating a lot of junk food at the office. This weekend I plan to stock up on fruit and other healthy snacks to bring with me to work so I will have something decent to eat.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-04T17:48:00.000-08:00

I have always been anti-new year's eve. I'm not sure why...maybe because its such a buildup or because the emphasis is on drinking or on having a date. But even when I've had dates the new year's eve celebration isn't too much fun. This year I turned down party invites with the intention of staying home and preparing for the bedhead brunch I planned to host on new year's day. I love what NYday has to offer...the clean slate, the promise that every new year brings.

Anyway, long story short, I ended up having a great NYeve. My friend Susan came over to help me prepare for the brunch and we spent the evening eating grilled pb and j's (they are really good!) and having a few drinks - jack daniels in honor of my dad.

Susan makes a 'napkin list' every year of goals, resolutions, or random thoughts about the year ahead. This year we each made a 'happiness list' of things that always make us happy - images, etc. that each of us can call on in times of sorrow to remind us of all we have to be thankful for.

I'm thankful for my family, my sister Sarah (and Kerry!) and brothers James and Tom, for my parents, for my good friends, for my colleagues, for my faith, for all that gives me inspiration, for all that keeps me stable, and for all the promise of the coming year.
Happy New Year everyone!!

Merry Merry

2008-12-25T11:06:00.000-08:00

run, run, run

2008-12-06T12:58:00.001-08:00

My good friend Jordan came up last night from Charlottesville to help me get settled into my new apt. She is great at rearranging and organizing and now my closet looks like an ad from Pottery Barn. Its awesome.
Jordan and I are running the Charlottesville 1/2 in April so we went for a little training run this am followed by breakfast at the IHOP in Falls Church.
Thank you Jordan!!!

New Address

2008-12-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

1520 North Lancaster St. Apt. #5
Arlington, VA 22205

Moving Day!

2008-12-03T05:01:00.000-08:00

I am moving to my new apt. in Arlington today. Hopefully they will turn the power on this morning, which will make the whole experience a bit more pleasant. I hired movers this time and they should be arriving any moment.
I hope to have everything in place by this afternoon. Unpacking will be another story...

2008-11-23T06:25:00.000-08:00

I wanted a fun, happy image for such a cold and blustery day in Northern VA. Tomorrow I leave to spend a few days in GA so I have a lot on the to-do list today. Chores, playing soccer, lifting weights, then going to work for a few hours. I would love to watch some football but I don't think that is going to happen.
I am also in desperate need of new jeans as my only pair is holey and not fit for public consumption. I can't do GAP jeans but does anyone have a suggestion for where to find some good, not too expensive jeans?

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2008-11-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

I think we have one of the best dads in the world. Some of my favorite memories...setting up trains under the tree at Christmas...carving pumpkins when we were little...watching dad graduate with a phd from UGA...going to UGA/Ga Tech games together...our family holidays...dad driving several hours and back on a week night to watch me play soccer in college. We love you dad!

baking day

2008-11-16T15:11:00.001-08:00

Last Sunday my friend Katherine and her sister came over for a baking day. I picked up tons of apples when I was in NH a few weeks ago and I wanted to use them up. We made bourbon apple cake, apple pie with Katherine's special recipe, and apple sauce with a recipe from my sister Sarah. The applesauce is delicious - I've been eating it all week. My roommate helped me demolish my half of the apple pie pretty quickly and I brought most of the bourbon cake to friends at work so I wouldn't be tempted.

Here's Sarah's applesauce recipe:

3 TB butter
6 Macintosh apples, cored, peeled and chopped
1/4 c sugar
1 ts cinnamon 1/2 ts nutmeg 4 TB water Combine all ingredients in a saucepan
and cook over medium heat until apples
become very tender, about 30 minutes. Applesauce may be left lumpy or pureed
with a handblender to become smoother.

It serves four but I doubled it so I could have enough for friends. Enjoy!

i'm a little behind...

2008-11-02T18:47:00.000-08:00

Sorry, loyal readers, but I had a tough week last week and wasn't able to do much of anything. I hurt my neck playing soccer last Sunday and have been almost completely out of commission since...
I will recap, starting with last Saturday...My friends Kevin, Susan, and I ran the Charlottesville 10k last Saturday am in the pouring rain. I stayed at my friend Jordan's house on Friday night and she kindly woke up early to drive me to the start and cheer us on to the finish. After the race we had breakfast at the Bluegrass Grill and Bakery (313 Second Street, SE; 434-295-9700) which was conveniently featured in the NY Times "36 hours in Charlottesville" just the day before the race! The food was excellent. I had scrambled eggs with sausage, cheese, spinach, and onions, and split a short stack of pancakes with Kevin. Yum.
Sunday morning I had a soccer game, followed by the 2nd annual pumpkin carving contest at Susan's house. The neck injury didn't show up until Monday am, so I was pain-free for the carving and other activities. I carved a raven with quotes around it for my entry in the contest. Unfortunately the judges were not English majors and did not understand my carving but I still liked the end result.
Mon-Fri. I was pretty miserable...I think I headed a ball the wrong way on Sunday and I was in pretty sad shape the rest of the week. I went to a chiropractor on Friday and am 80% better. I don't know exactly what he did but the pain immediately went away and I was able to play two games this weekend and did some extra cardio this morning, too. I will be back to weight lifting early next week.
I am currently watching the Colts/Pats game and hoping the Colts win for the sake of my pick 'em league...

Sunday Fun

2008-10-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

NH!

2008-10-25T18:52:00.001-07:00

I just returned from almost a week-long jaunt to New England. Sarah and Tom hosted me last Friday night in their new Beacon Hill apt. It's beautiful and has awesome views of the public park across the street and the city. We enjoyed dinner at Boston Beer Works with Sam and Deb and on Saturday hit the Head of the Charles Race. Late afternoon we headed to the lake in NH where we started the fire and waited on Mom and Dad to arrive.
We had such a relaxing long weekend! The highlights...apple picking, enjoying the foliage, breakfast at the Corner Store, hitting the antique shops and Gibson's Pewter (http://www.gibsonpewter.com/blog/), and more! See Sarah's blog for a pic of me in the kayak - thanks Sarah!

A near-perfect holiday weekend...

2008-10-13T16:22:00.001-07:00

I had a great holiday weekend - thanks Columbus! I arrived in NJ for my cousin Julie's engagement party a little early so I could watch the OU/Texas game with my dad. The party began a few hours later and was so much fun. It was a perfect fall day so many of the guests stayed outside enjoying the weather on the lawn...and the bar on the porch.
Uncle John offered a lovely toast for the bride and groom and everything - the food, the music, the company, was great. Mom spent several hours at the piano playing a long list of broadway hits.
I met several members of the Donahue clan as well as some of Dave's family members. I can't wait for the wedding - Julie is going to be a beautiful bride!
On Sunday Julie's good friend Beth hosted a brunch before we all headed our separate ways. It was another beautiful fall day in Westfield, which has always been one of my favorite small towns. Beth and her husband Chris hosted a great event, complete with a birthday cake to celebrate all of the October birthdays!
Sunday night I stopped in Baltimore to see James - we had dinner in Fells Point and then walked around town for a little while. He looks great and is doing an impressive job running the travel business.
This morning I went to the Original IHOP for breakfast to see my friend Liz before she heads back to Vienna, followed by a visit to my friend Kimberly, who just had a new baby named Finn. He is adoreable and seems like a very happy baby.

Texas BBQ is the Best!!

2008-10-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

I just returned from almost a week in deep of the heart of Texas. While Waco is not exactly a bustling metropolis, they do have some of the best BBQ I've ever had.
I also attended the OU/Baylor game in Waco - it was a blowout but fun to see the #1 team in the country.

"what wealth it is to have such friends that we cannot think of them without elevation" Henry David Thoreau

2008-09-28T14:34:00.000-07:00

The Original House of Pancakes

2008-09-28T10:21:00.000-07:00

This morning my friends and I met at the OHOP for breakfast. Several of them ran the Navy 5-miler first but I opted out since I have a soccer game today. The OHOP is in Falls Church, just a short drive from my house, and they have the best blueberry pancakes around. I had a short stack and lots of coffee. So good.
The rest of the day I am watching the Pack/TB game and maybe the Dallas/Skins game too. It's muggy and rainy here - not exactly fall yet but I'm enjoying the late summer weather anyway.

pictures!

2008-09-24T18:46:00.000-07:00

My dad recently sent me a hard drive with all of my pictures on it from my old Mac. I had trouble saving the pics to disks so this was the perfect solution. This picture of James and I was taken after our Labor Day weekend in New Hampshire. We were on the Cross Sound Ferry on our way to Jimmy and Rene's house to look at a Ski Nautique. Long Island is so beautiful! It's been a long time since I was on that ferry - we used to take it all the time when we lived on LI. It was a nice way to travel and I'm glad I was able to spend some fun time with dad, James, and Kerry.

False Alarm...

2008-09-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

I reneged on the apt. this am. I think I was just nervous and made a snap decision. Fortunately the landlord gave me my deposit back. I seriously would have been living on rice and beans for the next 12 months. The search continues!

Jackpot...sort of

2008-09-22T18:37:00.000-07:00

I found an apt. today! It's supertiny and superexpensive, but its right next to my favorite trail and I can walk to the grocery store, etc. It's a single family home with a dentist office on the bottom floor and my apt. on the top. It has a yard and the landlord says I can plant things, so that is really exciting. All hardwood floors and lots of 'character.'
My new project is to find a lot of free fun since my entertainment fund has been reduced to pennies...

It's time to put on make-up...

2008-09-21T08:46:00.001-07:00

According to a NY Times article the Disney company, which bought the rights to the Muppets, is bringing them back in a big way.
Check it out here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/movies/21barn.html

2008-09-16T18:18:00.001-07:00

“Let us be silent, that we may hear the whispers of the gods.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

did everyone see the Palin/Clinton skit on SNL?

2008-09-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

SNL never disappoints when it comes to political coverage. Check it out here: http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/

Pick 'em League, Week Two

2008-09-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

I recently joined a pick 'em league for NFL games. This is not like fantasy football which requires managing a team, but is simply picking winners/losers each week. I am going with the Jets against the Pats...partly because I want to see BF win and partly because I think the Pats offense is going to be a little shaky.
I am also picking the Packers over the Lions and the Eagles over the Cowboys.

on track

2008-09-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

My friend Susan and I have been doing twice weekly track workouts in the mornings and its been a great reason to get out of bed! I have never been able to stick to a morning exercise routine, probably because its too easy to sleep in, but with a friend waiting at the track there is more incentive.
There are actually a lot of people there every morning getting their workouts in - the track is owned by a local high school but the town pitched in some funding so everyone can use it.
Today I noticed how dark it is in the mornings - fall is on its way! It's still humid, though, and not quite time for the fall wardrobe I have packed away...

Happy Birthday, Sarah!

2008-09-04T18:44:00.000-07:00

Sarah, here's a virtual toast to you on your birthday. Hope it was a happy day and that you are settling into your new apt. in Boston. Cheers to you!

Beantown Bound

2008-08-26T19:27:00.000-07:00

I am headed to Boston for a conference tomorrow and will be there til Friday. I am going to see the Sox play the other Sox on Friday night then I'm going to camp in NH for the rest of Labor Day weekend. I can't wait!! Sarah says its a little chilly up there but hopefully the weather will warm up so we can ski, etc.
Hope everyone has a lovely holiday weekend!!!

Big Acorn, Oct. 5

2008-08-18T18:12:00.000-07:00

I just signed up for my first mini-triathlon! I'm really excited. It's a lake swim in Oct. which under normal circumstances would be a bit cold, but Lake Anna, where the race takes place, is heated by a power plant. I think the run and the bike ride will be fairly easy but the swimming might be tough. I've never competed in an open water swim but those who have say you can expect to get kicked in the head, etc. Aside from that, I'm looking forward to it.

Cost Benefit Analysis of Buying a New Mac

2008-08-16T06:25:00.000-07:00

My iBook is about 6 years old - ancient by computer standards - and my new ipod is not compatible with the current operating system on my mac. I am weighing whether to upgrade the OS or just buy a new Mac. I'm thinking I will just buy the new Mac since a new OS would a. be really slow on current Mac and b. cost almost 1/2 as much as buying the new Mac. Or maybe I'm just trying to justify buying a new computer...Thoughts, suggestions?

Glad to be home...

2008-08-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

Dear All,

I know I said I would try to post while in Vienna but it just didn't happen. Sigh. But I am back now and refreshed, recharged, and ready to go! I will start posting soon about all of my adventures...

Off to Vienna!

2008-05-31T08:43:00.000-07:00

I'm off for my two month trip to Vienna tonight! I am going to try to blog while I'm there. Have a great summer everyone!!!

Happy Anniversary to Sarah and Tom...

2008-05-19T19:02:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been a year since Sarah and Tom's wedding! It was such a fun celebration and looking back at pictures I'm remembering all of the fun memories. Congrats!

Congrats Tom!

2008-05-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

Having a little trouble loading pics, but it was such a great weekend in Durham and we are all so proud of Tom. He and Sarah endured two tough years at Duke but now it's time to celebrate! We also celebrated Mother's Day with mom and Mrs. Wood - Sarah made a really nice lunch and much fun was had by all.
Hope to post some pics soon.

soccer, soccer

2008-05-04T15:17:00.000-07:00

After a long hiatus I am back to playing again. I joined a co-ed team which plays on Sunday mornings and recently my friend B. from the gym invited me to play pickup with him and his friends. After my game this am I headed over to the intramural fields at George Mason U. They have an awesome field that is a combination of turf and grass. I'm not sure of the mechanics behind it but it's a very nice, soft, perfectly flat surface. Lovely. The pick up soccer was a lot more fun than the organized version and once the guys realize you can actually play they will pass the ball.

I remembered the sunscreen, which was good, but am already very sore.

East Said West Said

2008-04-30T19:16:00.001-07:00

Check out cousin Julie's blog!!!!! - linked on right

A little T. Jeff in honor of my Charlottesville trip...

2008-04-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

"I had rather be shut up in a very modest cottage, with my books, my family, and a few old friends, dining on simple bacon, and letting the world roll on as it liked, than to occupy the most splended post, which any human power can give."

A Great Race...

2008-04-20T05:19:00.000-07:00

I would recommend the Charlottesville 1/2 to anyone interested in trying a long race. It's probably not the best race for a first marathon, though. The spectators are few and far between but the scenery is unbelievable. The course meanders through horse country, up and down a lot of hills, and some of the prettiest parts of downtown Charlottesville. After the race Susan and I met up with my good friend Jordan at WildWings. Unfortunately there are no WW in DC, so we had to get our fix in C-ville. It was a great weekend and I was so happy to see Jordan again. Last weekend we met up in Fredericksburg to have dinner with her parents - also a lovely time.
I was supposed to play soccer this am but we got rained out. I'm kind of happy we did because I'm a little sore.

Charlottesville Half!

2008-04-18T14:50:00.000-07:00

I'm running the Charlottesville 1/2 marathon with my friend Susan tomorrow! She is such a fun girl so it's bound to be a great time. I have done a few 1/2's in the past but I hear this one is very hilly so it will be interesting...Send happy thoughts my way at 6:30am tomorrow!

Thought for Today

2008-04-09T19:29:00.000-07:00

"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” - Cicero

Trippin'

2008-03-28T19:53:00.000-07:00

Almost the entire Kahrs family will be traveling this week. Sarah and mom leave for China on Sunday to see James, and I am leaving tomorrow night for Bucharest. Fun times ahead! Dad and Kerry will stay in Georgia to keep the home fires burning...I can't wait til we are reunited to share our travel stories.

Little Bro's 5k and other successes...

2008-03-16T09:02:00.001-07:00

My brother James recently posted about running a 20 minute 5k - for all you non-runners out there, this is quite an accomplishment. In all my years of running I've never been able to do anything less than 21 minutes. James ran x-country in high school, took a few years off, and is recently back into running. Way to go, James!

This picture, from summer 2007, was taken just before James left for China.

Into the Wild

2008-03-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

I recently saw Into the Wild at the Arlington Cinema and Draft House - a rundown theater that serves beer and a full menu of grill type stuff. It's my new favorite theater. I highly recommend both the movie and the theater. "Into the Wild" didn't get much coverage and I don't think it made it into some of the mainstream theaters but its definitely worth adding to the Netflix list.

Sadness

2008-03-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

Spring is...

2008-03-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

It's finally warm in VA - if only for the day! Hope everyone has a good one

din-din

2008-02-24T19:26:00.000-08:00

I had a great dinner with one of my oldest friends, Jordan, last night. Jordan, my sister Sarah and I have been friends since nursery school!! We met in Fredericksburg, which is close to halfway between Charlottesville and Falls Church, VA. The plan was to meet at Outback, but there was an almost two hour wait! We ended up going to O'Charlies and had a very nice dinner. Jordan brought along a picture of the three of us at Sarah's rehearsal dinner - we were all laughing at something - probably recalling memories of our time together on Long Island. Let's do it again soon, Jordan!!!

Taking a serious look at spending...

2008-02-24T19:21:00.000-08:00

I've started bringing my breakfast and lunch to work to save $$ and have a better idea of caloric intake. I noticed I was spending a lot on coffee, yogurt, granola for breakfast and salad or soup for lunch. And of course an afternoon coffee. I've cut spending from $10 a day to $10 a week! What will I do with all the extra cash?? Hmm.

'nother post about peach preserves

2008-02-12T19:11:00.001-08:00

Tonight I invited two work friends to come over and bake for Valentine's Day. I'm not a big V-day fan but I do like to bake stuff for my friends and a holiday is a good excuse. We made chocolate chip cookies (a Martha Stewart recipe that I was afraid to try but it turned out to be really easy), butterscotch and chocolate cookie bars, oatmeal raisin-cranberry cookies and macaroons. Yum. My friend Susan brought dinner including a salad and home-made dressing. The dressing called for raspberry preserves but she used peach preserves instead - the very same peach preserves mom made for Sarah's wedding. I took several jars home and gave them out to my friends - including Susan. The preserves live on...

lovely dinner

2008-02-10T07:53:00.000-08:00

I invited a few friends over for dinner last night - no special occasion but a nice way to brighten up the winter. I served rack of lamb, a first for me, sweet potatoes, green beans, squash and zucchini, and brownies for dessert. My friend Laura brought over the squash and zucchini and sauteed it while everything else finished cooking. The sweet potatoes were really easy; I chopped them up, left the skins on, and surrounded the lamb with them. A little salt, pepper, olive oil and cinnamon and they were done.
Susan also came over and brought her new dog, McGee, who she adopted this weekend. He is so cute and friendly and didn't bark once. I would love to adopt a dog but my apt. is just not suited for one. Northern Va. has a golden retriever rescue society and that would be my first choice for adoption.
Anyway, back to dinner. Everything turned out really well and it was probably the easiest meal I've ever cooked for guests. We watched Oceans 13 afterwards and I really liked it. I never saw the previous Oceans, which are not a prerequisite for this one.

Ahead of the Curve

2008-02-04T17:14:00.001-08:00

My friend Brooke is getting married next spring and has been searching through catalogs to get ideas for her wedding. In Martha Stewart's most recent wedding publication she came across a section detailing how to personalize wedding favors based on the location of the wedding, hometown of bride and groom, etc. For Georgia Martha's idea was peach preserves! My mom and sister beat her to the punch by a good year and a half. Mom and her friends spent hours making peach preserves from GA peaches for Sarah's wedding and they turned out so well.
Way to go!

Go Pats

2008-02-03T09:49:00.001-08:00

I'm picking the Pats today after my Packers fell to the Giants. I'm excited about the superbowl but it seems like such a loooong time before next season.

MIT for free

2008-01-27T09:24:00.000-08:00

Universities across the US are starting to offer courses for free. The catch: you can't earn a degree or get course credit, but its a cool way to keep learning.
Check it out here: http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm

The Star-Splitter

2008-01-26T20:04:00.000-08:00

He burned his house down for the fire insurance
And spent the proceeds on a telescope
To satisfy a life-long curiosity
About our place among the infinities.

The girl gets organized...part 1

2008-01-26T19:24:00.000-08:00

One of my new year's resolutions is to get organized - part of the great declutter plan of 2008. This weekend I've managed to make some progress. I have a habit of cutting out articles that interest me, ads I love, etc. so I've finally organized them all into folders. Next I want to tackle the ticket stubs, programs, etc. I have from every event since the beginning of time. Why am I keeping them? That's a great question.

Declutter tip 1: have cards, letters you want to keep? Punch a hole in one corner and keep them together with grommets from your local office supply store.

Hoping to see the Laubeau Leap

2008-01-20T07:49:00.000-08:00

Today is a big day for NFL fans...I'm going to my friend Tom's house for a football bash. I'm predicting the Pats over the injury-riddled Chargers and the Pack over the Giants. Eli will be wearing a glove on one hand to ward off the cold - it's supposed to be four degees at kickoff - but Favre will not be wearing gloves because he is tough as nails. My friend Paul, who is a huge Packers fan, is also having a party at his house. Everyone is required to sit outside and watch the game to replicate what it will be like at Lambeau field. His invitation read: This party is for serious football fans only! No kidding.

"Learn how to feel joy" -Seneca

2008-01-19T11:45:00.000-08:00

the happy list

2008-01-12T12:56:00.001-08:00

One of my co-workers started a 'these are things that make me happy' list for a friend to give her a little boost from the winter blahs. When I read my friend's list it gave me an immediate boost and inspired me to start my own. Here's a few things that make me happy...
chance of snow
planned airport layover with a good book
the sound of clean snow squeaking beneath my skis

Go Pack!!

2008-01-12T09:05:00.000-08:00

I'm often asked why I'm a Packers fan, and I admit it's a good question. I grew up on Long Island and then Georgia, so logically I should be either a Giants, Jets, or Falcons fan. The answer is the Falcons had Favre and they traded him...big mistake on their part. So I became a Packers fan. Will I be a Packers fan post-Favre? Yes. Let's hope he doesn't retire after this season. I can't imagine he would after the miraculous season they've had, but he was injured last year and never had the surgery, so its possible he is ready to go out on a high note. But let's hope not.

2008-01-06T13:07:00.000-08:00

Christmas!

2008-01-06T13:01:00.000-08:00

I've finally found time to upload my Christmas pictures! Enjoy