Page got the oil changed in all three cars (a must, since we are preparing to sell two of them!) and we got a bunch of his knee surgery supplies listed for sale as well (goodbyeeeee crutches, braces, and more!).

The CRAZY winds this weekend, coupled with what we and our next door neighbors have deemed “the wind tunnel” that runs between our two houses (with no trees!), resulted in a huge piece of our flashing peeling off and eventually ripping altogether to fall to the street. Oh, but not before spending a solid 12 hours banging away against the siding. Right on the other side of our bedroom. Beginning at 3 in the morning. #joysofhomeownership

It doesn’t look like much in this photo, but this sucker was LOUD. Fortunately, the same guys who resided this whole side of the house last spring due to hail came to the rescue to get it fixed. We didn’t DO the work, but I considered this another item checked off!

To get away from the noise and distract myself from what I was sure would be a cell phone call telling me it had ripped off and taken out a neighbor, I headed to the garden center to pick up some new pretties to replace much of what late frost has killed off. I was bitter at first to be nearly starting over, but in the end, I really like the process of digging in the dirt, and I REALLY like that going forward these are all (supposedly) low-maintenance plants!

Behold…two of the three boxwoods replaced, and the spruce has been swapped for a much lower-profile rose bush. I’ve been told this is a better option because by the time it gains much height, it will have had plenty of time to get solidly rooted. Here’s hoping!

I also attempted some potting for the first time since the year we were married. We call it the great disaster of 2007. I forgot to water and then to compensate I ended up drowning everything. I was like the kid who couldn’t take care of his pet. I’m hoping I’ll be able to embrace responsibility this time around.

The other stuff I didn’t get pictures of included sweeping out the garage and vacuuming and washing the cars. Ahhh. It was so much more pleasant driving to work this morning…the seasons have finally turned for us, bring on Spring!

Ever since taking on mint for my Oscar party this year, I’m obsessed with the color. Here are a few things that have made their way to my house, or are currently on my workout wish list!

Water Bottle: LifeFactory  |  Flip Flops: Nike  |  Phone Clip: Amazon
Revenge R20: FuelBelt  | Sports Bra: Lululemon

Today, six thousand miles away, my brother James and my new sister-in-law Sumi are being married in South Korea. You might remember they surprised us at Christmas with a trip home and then news of their engagement. My parents were able to make the trip but with only a few months’ notice and limited vacation days my brother Adam, and Page and I, had to miss out on the actual event.

We weren’t the only ones unable to make it, so James asked for video clips of well wishes to share with guests at the event. Page had the vision for what quickly became a mini-movie (ha!) and while we don’t do too well with the mushier stuff, we hope it provides a laugh – even to those who see it and don’t speak the same language!

Cheers, best wishes, and congratulations to you both, and welcome to our
newest family member, Sumi! We love you both!

I’ve been MIA from blogworld the past several days. Nothing major is going on, we are just staying busy and maybe more so than usual. The stuff we’ve been doing isn’t exactly blog-worthy or exciting to read about, so what results is a bunch of crickets chirping here.

In short, it’s been a lot of:

• cleaning out closets
• taking Spring stuff (house and clothing) to consignment and Goodwill
• organizing drawers and bookcases around the house
• cooking healthier meals
• getting to the gym more regularly
• catching up with lots of friends
• putting some time in outside – trimming bushes, sealing the deck, planning to replace a tree we lost over the winter
• working
• freelancing
• rediscovering TV a bit, watching Breaking Bad and Mad Men
• starting to clean out the garage
• eating edamame by the bagfull
• biking to work (Page, not me)
• finally resuming a quilt project I started almost five years (yep, years!) ago to the day…stay tuned for more on that one!

I do have a list of things I want to get around to blogging sooner than later. In addition to everything going on, I think it’s the suddenly nice (albeit late!) spring weather that has been keeping me from the computer screen. Things may slow down a bit here for a while as I remember just what the sun feels like!

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m much move likely to purchase something if I know it’s been tried and recommended by another person firsthand, so I’m more than happy to share why I love these items so much…

Tee: Under Armour  |  Shoes: Nike  |  Socks: Thor-lo
Shoes: Nike  |  Headband: Amazon  |  Sports Bra: C9 by Target  |  Capris: Old Navy

• I love the striped Nikes (Free Fit 3 model) for classes like BodyJam or Zumba – where there’s more dance involved and you want to be able to actually point/flex your feet and turn on a dime. I would NOT be comfortable running in these; not nearly enough shock absorbency for me. I strongly prefer to do Pilates and yoga barefoot, but I’ve seen a couple people go through class wearing these because of how close to barefoot they feel.
• The neon orange Nikes (Lunarglide +4) have a lot more support than the Frees, so I like them for cross training stuff like the elliptical or a Body Pump class where I don’t need as much flexibility in the soles. I get lateral side-to-side support that I wouldn’t get from my regular running shoe (my Mizuno Wave Inspire 8s – best running shoe I’ve worn to date!).
• I’ve spent too many dollars on “non slip” sport headbands – mostly for yoga, where I find myself upside down and my hair in my eyes. Either they’re WAY too tight and I have a headache by the end of my workout, or they still manage to work their way back until they’ve popped off my head. I couldn’t find the exact one I love (it’s a dry-fit material), but I’ve learned that any WIDE headbands work wonders when it comes to staying in place, are SUPER comfortable, and hold just fine to my hair, without all that nonslip gel that pulls and hurts.
• If I’m going to work out in a t-shirt, I like them to be v-neck because they keep me that much cooler. I love the Under Armour heat gear tees because they’re tissue thin and really soft. This particular one has a huge “She’s a FIGHTER” graphic on the back with the pink ribbon – a portion of the proceeds go to various breast cancer centers and charities.
• I haven’t been a big Old Navy customer lately, but after trying their active line and specifically their capris, I feel like they’ve really stepped up the construction and quality of these particular garments. The fit is just right, the waist bands don’t roll, and the material wicks sweat like a dream. I honestly feel little difference between these and my Lulus which cost three times as much!
• I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I spend $15 on running socks, but I do. I have a couple different styles of these Thorlos and reach for them every time. I can honestly say I have never gotten a blister running in these, or even a hot spot. They keep their size and shape after multiple washings (I do put them in the dryer) and they just FIT like I didn’t know a sock could.
• I was thrilled when Target released this sports bra for those of us with C-cup or larger ladies who want to do anything more than walk and not spend upwards of 50-60 bucks for good support. Plus, I’m not sure what it is, but once you get anything beyond B, and into the “high impact” tags, the variety of colors suddenly narrows to black or white. Boring. The photo online doesn’t do it justice – this steal (at $22!) is neon pink – love it!

• Beverage Dispensers – I have two of these and they are a wonderful alternative to pitchers, which always seem to drip and spill. I love the clear hollow pedestals in these – pretty for stuffing with colorful tissue paper or flowers to fit the theme.
• Versatile, white appetizer plates (and lots of them! I have never regretted buying two dozen of these)
• Pretty shot glasses for anything from colorful beverage shots to creative appetizers, to bite-size desserts
• A quality white tablecloth to set the stage
• A beautiful vase for creating centerpieces

Beverage Dispenser: Amazon  |  Appetizer Plates: Crate & Barrel  |  Shot Glasses: BB&B
Tablecloth: Crate & Barrel  |  Vase: Target