Who is this girl?

I started making dinner last night and Ella said, "I'd prefer you not do that."

Do it.

We have tulips!

Happy Earth Day! It's a gloomy day here in the Seattle-area after nearly a week of sunshine and warmth. While I'll miss hanging out on the patio, the rain makes it a little easier to get back to work. I think it will also help those last few tulips to finally bloom... and perhaps give me a little reprieve from my nasty allergies.

I have been moving along at a frightening pace, as projects continue pouring in (quite wonderful, really), and I attempt to keep our house/yard respectable. Both are much more work than I had anticipated. Ella and I are getting ready for a little (working) vacation in Montana, starting on Saturday. Brady will be in DC for work, so we're headed home to visit the family while he is away. But back to the subject of my post—Earth Day. It's time to try harder. You know what you should be doing. But I am asking you to try three things for me (or even just one of them) in honor of today.

1. Visit your local library.
I am in love with our library. It's great—so great. We go at least once a week and just put all of our books on hold so they're waiting for us when we get there... except we always leave with more. The point of this is to stop buying books. I recently went to a book club where someone showed up with a bag full of new books from B&N—new! She must have spent at least $100. Honestly. Save a tree. Borrow a book. Learn something new. A few books I have read recently and recommend: Animal, Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl, and The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

2. Have fun outside.
Ride your bike, go for a hike, plant a garden. Just. Get. Outside. Take a look >

3. Go meatless for a day.
Please try going without meat for a day—one day. And if you're really adventurous, try doing it one day a week. I'm not going to try to convert any of you into vegetarians. But seriously, you'll feel better and so will the earth.

Let me know if you give any a try... and Happy Earth Day! :-)

Tulip Festival

Test drive.

Hair.

Pigtails for Ella.

Bangs for me.

Easter?

Easter came and went rather quickly at our house. We have been running around like crazy here, so it kind of just snuck up on us... and now it's over. We were able to take some time to dye eggs and have Easter brunch, but it was such a rainy, gloomy day that we really just stayed inside and tried not to get on each other's nerves.

On Saturday, Ella and Brady cheered me on as I ran my first 5k in years (and years). It was fun (as fun as running can be.) I came in fifth overall, first of the female variety. It was not a competitive race by any means, but something I've been wanting to do for some time. I ran another 5k on the treadmill today, just to see if I could beat my time... so it seems I am competing with myself, despite my best efforts to just have fun and keep in shape. At least it gives me something to work toward—improving my time and not embarassing myself at the next 5k.

On another note, Ella is now at a new daycare, which she likes very much. It's very close to Brady's work in Bremerton, so he gets to be her chauffeur three days a week and I get to enjoy ten (10!) hours of working time on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. So far (for three weeks), it has been a great arrangement, as Ella gets to interact children her age (there are six total in her daycare) and I get some much needed time to focus on work. But by the end of the day, I really, really miss her. Lots and lots. And when she comes home, Ella always runs up to me and gives me the biggest hug. Can't beat that! :-)

Highly Recommended

I just finished reading Heather Armstrong's book, It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown, and a Much Needed Margarita. I have been following her blog, dooce, since I was pregnant. So, when I found out that she had published a book on her experience with pregnancy and postpartum depression, I immediately went down to my library... and was first in line to check it out. I read it in a few days, as I could barely put it down (after Ella went to bed.)

If you've ever had a baby (or are just thinking about it)—read this book! Honestly. Just take my word for it.

p.s. I am now reading The Bell Jar (which I LOVE)... do we see a trend here?

Random silliness!

The dirt.

Today, we met some friends in the park. After pouring sand over her head countless times, Ella was a MESS. On the way back to the car, I told her she was dirty, dirty. She said, "Dirt is my friend. Dirt, dirt. My friend dirt."

After two baths, complete with hair washing(s), she is still covered in sand... and finally in bed :-)

Shortly after, I ran her over with my walker.

Last Friday, Brady and I enjoyed a night out with some co-workers (and their wives), and left Ella with a babysitter. While it was nice to get away and feel like an adult, I am still reeling from a comment someone made. Inevitably, the topic somehow turned to how long Brady and I have been together (14 years!!!!) and how utterly impossible it seems. Except instead of someone making a pseudo-flattering comment about how young we must have been, this time, the opposite happened. Someone said, "Wait. You're only thirty? I thought you were at least 38 or 40." Excuse me? What kind of thing is that to say? Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with being 38, or even 40. NOTHING. But I just turned 30. And that was traumatic enough.

Though I wish I could just let it go, I cannot. It was very hurtful, though unintentionally so. And I completely understand that my reaction is just that—mine... but it makes me wonder: How did I transition so quickly from being considered youthful (and getting carded) to being viewed as middle-aged? Honestly. Any ideas? 'Cause I am not having it. NOT. HAVING. ANY. OF. IT.

From now on, it's blue eyeshadow and hot pants for me.