It was the 4th of July!

Which the kids claimed was the funnest one yet!  I guess they don't remember ever doing sparklers or the driveway variety of fireworks before?!  But they will remember it after this year!

Also, the Fitzgeralds came which made it extra fun.  I only wish I had photographed them more often.  Every time they walked out of their room, they were dressed in patriotic colors.  Such color coordinated packing is nothing to take lightly! I love a sister who loves the festivities of holidays so much, and reminds all around her to enjoy them too.  

The sister update is at Ana's this week.  You won't want to miss it.  Sarah had to utilize walkie talkies over the weekend in an official capacity.  Christine is safely back in America, and Zack might have multiple California based job offers!  Hurry, click!

But we are all still waiting for the grand opening of the "Brother's Update".  Hey look guys, I have the first perfect picture to get your updates started.  It would be hilarious.  It really would be.  Can you even imagine what things would make their "this week" and "next week" lists?  I'm so genuinely curious I wonder what I can do to help them get it up and running?!

Finally, while Darin ushers some 40 youth to and from some white water rafting high adventure tomorrow, I will be busy at home making a new mini quilt wall hanging, doing 15 loads of laundry and packing.  I wonder exactly what time Darin will be back home?  I want to make sure I'm done sewing  we're all packed before he gets home (wink!).

Long Live Summer!

Sister Update

Ie Li

Last week:

• We became a pull-up free household.  It's so nice to only have to buy one size and variety of diaper.
• Celebrated Mi Na's birthday with a balloon, flowers, bunting, swimming, cupcakes, and a present
• Finalized Mei Li's party plans.  It's going to be fun and simple.  Mei Li has already approved all the plans.
• Hung two things on the wall in our living room.
• We had dessert with Rachel and Ken on Saturday, and then they watched our kids so we could go to the adult session of stake conference.  Thank you so much, Rachel.
• Took care of my garden.
• Played with my little ones at the pool and at home.
• Summer school with Mei
  
• Cleaned the church together and attended a baptism.

Next week:

• Pool
• Play games
• Garden
• Summer school
• Service
• Exercise
• B-day party
• Just relax and enjoy everything

Ana

 Last 2 weeks:
-Took the family vacation we have been talking about since our first weekend in Boston to Palmyra and Niagara Falls.  We visited the Smith Family Farm, the Whitmer Farm, the  Hill Cumorah and the Sacred Grove.  It was a perfect trip, except for getting yelled at by the Canadian Border Inspector.  Man, you miss one tiny stop sign and Canada never forgets...
-Found out that our packers and movers were coming 5 days earlier then we had expected because we had booked them so late.  They came and packed us up Friday and moved our stuff out Saturday.  We fly out tomorrow afternoon and thanks to generous friends and neighbors have had blow up mattresses, sheets, towels, blankets and lamps. 
-Because the wii, tv and most other electronic devices were shipped to CA, a deck of cards has been our only source of amusement.  We have taught Jack how to play war (which he LOVES), solitare, slap jack, and GOLF.  Its been good to have so much down time as a family. 
-Went out to our most decadent meal in Boston thanks to Michael Christensen.  It lasted almost 3 hours and contained 7 courses.  Everything we tasted was delicious and the view on the patio during dinner was amazing.
-Yesterday was a perfect day in Boston.  Deep Blue skys, green as far as we could see, a cool breeze on a warm day.  It was the kind of day that if only Boston had more of would have tempted me into staying here and making it home long term.  Darn those ridiculously freezing winters that last through April.
-I turned 31.  Somehow that seems a lot older then 30 felt.  Maybe its because I am huge and tired all the time. 
-Zack now has three promising jobs on the horizon.  One start up, one innovations job at Disney, and one software company in San Diego.  Stay tuned to see what happens...
-Canoed one last time on the Charles River. This time we made it up past our house which was fun to see from the river.  Someone asked what I will miss about Boston. Top on my list is the river.  I have loved looking out at it every day.  (even the days that I yelled at it for being still covered with snow).  I will also miss how green everything is.  Our apartment feels like a tree house during the summer months, a little safe haven from the world.

This week:
-Pack up our bags and get on a plane tomorrow to San Diego.  I can't see past that right now.  Maybe next week I will have a better idea of what life will be like.

Rachel

For some reason I can hardly remember a thing!

Last Week:

• I never made it to Costco for the sheets.  Blast.  I could have but on my free night I actually totally forgot.  Oh well, I must not want them so badly.
• Played with Mei Li and Stephen on Saturday night.  They are so cute.
• Met up with the Earnests on Sunday in Richmond.  Aside from some inexplicable traffic in both directions, it was a quick and easy trip.  Next time we might try taking Route 1 to see if it's faster.
• Taught 6/7 y.o. in primary again.  They are intense but nice.  I feel bad that I'm kinda glad I don't have to go back next week because Ken does have to go back...
• Finished the yarn wreath.  Post with a photo coming soon.
• Visited the Vienna Farmers market and proceeded to have an extraordinarily productive Saturday which made me so happy.
  

This Week:

• Dentist appointments for me and Ken.  I can't remember the last time I went, but I had zero cavities or issues at all.  I am glad the Z's have good teeth genes.  I should wear my retainer though.
• Play with Haley on Monday.  (Since Monday has now passed...) We went to Lucketts, visited Mom's Apple Pie Bakery and a scrapbook store (supplies for Ken's bday this weekend).  It was awesome.
• No work on Friday, woo!!  I'll spend the day baking, wrapping and finalizing preparations.  So excited.
• Plan my next sewing project...
• Head down to NC on Saturday afternoon for 4th of July!!  Pool time!!
• Ok there's not a lot of major goals on here, but I can't think of anything!  Maybe it's because I don't have my planner in front of me.  Guess it'll just be a low key week!  

Sarah

Last week:

• helped Scott weed out his closet and drawers - took 4 giant lawn bags of clothes and shoes to DI - did that much volume actually fit in there before?
• experimented with curling my hair - first time i've tried since i cut it short. i think i like it. need to figure out a better technique that doesn't result in as many burned fingers.
• hiked the Y at 6:30am on friday with a friend - very winded. hopefully we can make it a regular friday excursion.
• baked cookies and delivered them to Brenden at camp via the supplies truck that drove up daily. Unfortunately I missed the part about putting treats in a metal container and by the time he got back to his tent a squirrel had eaten through the plastic bag and eaten all the cookies.
• huck went to nursery by himself for the 2nd week in a row! can we call this a successful transition? can't say the same for june, though.
• planted tomatoes, basil, cucumber, zucchini, cantaloupe, and green beans in our garden
  

This week:

• The Abbey Road Show at The Rooftop Concert Series is on Friday - still need to laminate the access credentials, set up for the merch sales, pick up CB radios for the security guys to use, organize babysitters for the day, and hopefully arrange everything well enough so I can sit down and enjoy the show myself too
• catch up on work - I haven't put in a solid day since we've been home from our trip. my manager's on vacation and it's too easy to just lay low. need to make some visible progress on my project.
• catch up on household finances. figure out how to pay for our unexpected tax bill we just received (bye bye new car money)
• i've really got to start eating better and exercising again. i feel like garbage.
• try to remember to get someone to take a better picture of me at some point during the week so i'm not scrambling on the last day and resorting to taking it myself.

Christine

Let me be completely honest here, I have lost my little sister.  I have no idea if she was last in Jerusalem, or Egypt, in a tunnel or some random Middle Eastern desert.  Rachel says she's coming back to DC soon.  I'll believe it when I see it.  Christine, are you out there?!

Annee

I know, my picture is more than a week old.  It is the hardest part of the Sister Update for me.  I never seem to want to pose for that awkward photo of myself.  Do you suppose the more picture you take of yourself, the less awkward it gets?


Last Week: 

• Got totally obsessed with the cutest Library skirt that I found on a blog.  I forthwith had to make one.  It took a few days.  It was intense.  I love it just as intensely.  Check it out on MOM.  
• Got equally obsessed with Masterpiece Classic: Downton Abbey this week.  I shifted many of my runs to the treadmill just so that I could watch just-one-more-episode.  Have you watched it yet?  if you haven't, you are so lucky!  The next season won't start until the fall.  I feel a distinct void in my life right now.  
• Listened to the abridge version of "The Constant Princess" by Philippa Gregory, and finished listening to "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand" by Helen Simonson.  This means two things;  I have been doing a whole lot of sewing, and or sitting by the pool.  Neither are terrible options, but maybe my life should have more meaning?  I recommend both books thoroughly.  I would have enjoyed the unabridged version of "The Constant Princess" more than the abridged, but I didn't even realize it was abridged until it was almost over!  
• I feel a little bit like I'm stuck in a period drama with all the entertainment I've been taking in lately.  When Darin and I both surrendered to our bed this afternoon around 4pm, exhausted by the summer heat, and the languid pace of life, I thought to myself, "Well this is very British of us.  What else did they do in the olden days between lunch and dinner but read, and rest up for the big effort of dinner".  And that is just what we did.  Don't judge.  
• Best item of all was Sunday Dinner with the Fitzgeralds at a random Mimi's Cafe in a random VA town in between us.  I felt a compelling need to get my dresser out of the back of Rachel's car so that I could begin working on it.  I'm glad we had an excuse to meet up for Sunday dinner.  It was fun to realize that though it's kind of a lot of driving, it's not totally out of the question to meet up halfway.  It was fun.  

This Week:

• Work on refinishing my dresser.  So far this has involved a lot of staring at my dresser, being intimidated by my dresser, reading a million different blogs about painting furniture, and culminated in a trip to the local hardware store where I visited with a super old guy who taught me all he knew about painting furniture.  A good start?  I can do this, right?!
• Darin will leave us tomorrow for Scout camp.  It mostly makes me laugh that he's going.  Did you know he never went as a young man?  I hope he has fun! 
• Clean the house.  Things have gotten a bit lazy around here with the onset of summer vacation.  This house used to be super clean.  I used to have tons of hours in my day to thoroughly clean each level, and it would stay that way for many hours until the kids came home.  It's okay that it's kind of messy now.  That's life, but it's a lot harder to reclaim it from this position!  Also, my kids need to have some jobs, for that reason alone I will make it a top priority this week.  Clean the house!
• We are down to just 7 more days of swim team!!  We can do it!!  It has been so good for all of us to have such a healthy reason to get out of bed in the morning.  
• The Fitzgeralds are coming for the long weekend.  I think we're waiting to see Cars 2 until they get here.  The kids can barely wait.   

That's a wrap.

These girls graduated from Kindergarten:

One with her front teeth in place, one without!  

And though it was only three short weeks ago, it honestly feels like last year's headline.  The school year went by so darn fast, I still have not wrapped my mind around it.  Though summer has definitely introduced a different pace.  The days are long and slow and hot, and there simply isn't enough ice cream, popsicles or soda to satisfy the never ending cycle of KP duty for me.  Is it okay to simply feed them ice cream, popsicles and soda for the remaining seven weeks of summer?  I'm rapidly heading in that direction.

Though I did eat a salad today while we sat waiting outside of Loco Pops, until it opened at noon.  What, people don't think you should eat gourmet popsicles before noon?   What if swim team ends at 11?  What do they think you should do?   Since it also shares the parking lot with Whole Foods, I thought I could at least preface my Popsicle with a salad.  I could not persuade any of the offspring.  Henry got the flavor called Fluffernutter.  All day long he kept thinking about how delicious it was.  George asked me if we could go back on Wednesday and Friday too.  I could stand firm about Wednesday, but it's highly likely I will have lost focus by Friday.

Do summer freckles get any cuter than this?!

(Ruby wanted me to photograph her with her favorite picture book of Colorado, while we were doing a photo shoot of her new "Library Skirt".  My latest Made on Maple creation)

Darin's summer class will end tomorrow, just in time for him to head off to Scout Camp for the rest of the week.  Do not worry about me, I have a dresser to refinish before the Fitzgeralds arrive for the 4th of July festivities.  Too bad Chapel Hill had to cut "4th of July festivities" out of the 2011 budget.  We will simply have to find a neighboring festive town.  Durham maybe?

Long live summer!

I went and visited Rachel in VA.

I mostly took pictures of furniture, but I loved having a sister available to spend the weekend with.  You can read all about it HERE.

Is it summer vacation yet?!

Wow.  It has been a whirlwind, and it's only June 11th!!  Starting back on May 25 and 26, the Z's all started gathering on the East coast for Zack's Harvard Business school graduation (jump to Ana's blog for the cute photo re-cap.  I forgot my camera at home on that trip!!).

We had to make it a quick trip.  Each one of us, (with the exception of the Wiley's who were already a few days into their grand East coast summer trip) had to hurry back home to get our families packed up to meet up at Corolla Beach, NC (OBX).  This was going to be our first year testing out an ubber ginormous beach front house, with a pool, on the Carolina coast.  Could it live up to its West coast compatriots?!

Pretty sure it beat out the competition.  Offering 9 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, a pool, hot tub, in-home theater with movie theater seats, we wonder if Southern California will ever see us again :)  Did I mention the weather?!  Well, maybe the weather wasn't totally dreamy, after all, 90 degrees and sunny does get a little bit toasty when humidity gets involved.  But we managed to enjoy our week without too much trouble.

Naturally, I didn't take enough pictures.  Naturally many relatives have sent me pictures.  I'll open them and download them and find them all someday.  But I need to see progress here at this blog, so my collection will have to due for tonight.  My sister-in-law Ie Li is doing a thorough recap over at her blog.  She's patient enough to go day-by-day.  She is great at journaling.  I am great at broad strokes, yes?!

The beach, it was grande!

Complete with cousins:

Beach babies:

Super fun aunts and uncles along for a good time:

Aunties who were almost always available for castle building:

Huck who is always the life of the party (and super special because he learned my name on day one):

Of course, it wouldn't be Beach Week without grandma and grandpa:

The beach front adults:

 Who were always just one iPhone click away (poor reception and all) from beach front fun facts, about sand crabs, ghost crabs, jelly fish, you name it.  Even the answer to our most mysterious beach question "Why is the water freezing cold one day, and warm the next?"  Not a joke, that question was iPhone asked and answered.  It has to do with the direction of the wind.  In fact, this particular sampling of adults are so efficient they surely should have a name?  The Beach Front Council of Adults (BFCAs)?  Any other suggestions?!  Ooh boys did we have a good time.

Nightly dinners, nightly games as Uncle Steve was slowly falling asleep on the couch.  Christine's nightly disappearances to re-join the YSAs who were less than a mile down the beach (ha!ha!). The excursion to the Wright Brother's Monument and flight museum where I summoned my teaching skills and led a mini tour for the 6 and under crowd.  It's all about making it relevant to your audience!  Our first official BWBC!!!  Can you believe I convinced my whole family to read the same book, and actually sit down together on Wednesday night as we had an official book club meeting.  Honestly you probably have to be there to believe it, but it was so great.  So, so great.  Christine's cookies were the icing on the book club cake.  Thanks for baking them CZ!  Jet skiing!  Crabs!!  The list could go on and on.




It's impossible to write enough words, or take enough pictures to capture just how much this week means to me, my kids, and I hope the whole rest of our family.  It is a yearly highlight.  We thank Mom and Dad (grandma and grandpa Z), from the bottom of our hearts who make it all possible and bring us all together, year after year, after I hope a million more years!  Long live Beach Week.

Until next year....

A one time offer

At the end of swim team yesterday Ruby was jubilant.  She told me she wasn't even shivering and that should could have kept swimming longer.  She said, "Why does it feel like we haven't been to swim team in 100 days?"  I told her it was because we had the weekend off, and because we all missed it on Friday.  "Why did we miss it on Friday?"  She asked.  I explained that it was because of the Fathers and Sons campout that the boys and dad went on, and how that gave us all a good excuse to take the night off.  Then she asked:

"Was that just a one time offer?"

Indeed it was, I told her.  That was only a one-time-offer.

In other news, the girls have been busy at school getting ready for the Parent's Day shows.  This meant two different Fridays Darin and I got to go to their classrooms and to be feted, thanked and impressed by how far they have come this year.  To say that I didn't get chocked up both times would be a lie.  They are nearly 1st graders.  How has this happened?!  

Ruby's performance was followed by rainbow sherbet, which she had to serve to her parents (and maybe sample before giving it to them?!).

Jane's performance was the following week, and was followed by lunch out on the lawn.  

To be extra festive we sprung Ruby from her dreary lunch in the cafeteria to join us out on the lawn.  She said she thought she should have been in Jane's class all along.

Do these girls even realize how lucky they are to have a dad who is a PhD student who is "off" for the summer?!  He is ever available to them.  I'm so happy about it all.

Have you heard that Jane lost her two front teeth?!  Also, she got her first pair of dangling earrings (that I'll let her wear) on Friday night while the boys went camping.  I hope you feel excited for her. 

It isn't even June 1st, and yet my kids want to eat watermelon everyday.  I had pulled it out of the fridge and had it on the counter waiting to be sliced, when I walked away.  When I came back through the kitchen, the kids had taken the situation into their own hands.  

Kind of like eating ice cream right out of the carton, only better.  Right?!  They were totally excited about their solution.  I think letting them destroy my watermelon in this fashion was likewise a one-time-offer.

Reminders and notes.

Ruby is in a note writing phase right now.  If she wants to remind herself something, she writes  it down.  See below:

Or sometimes the message is for me.  See below:

After just three days of swim team this was the note I receive.  Here's the translation:

Dear Mom, I do not like swim team.  Will you sign me out?  Please, sign me out!  Please, please, will you sign me out.  By: Ruby. To: Annee Earnest


Reader, do not fear, I am not in the least bit swayed by her note.  She will remain in swim team until mid-July when it will end, and she can thank me for it when she is 23.  Or at whatever magical age you realize how many amazing and wonderful things your mother did for you.  I am patient.  And persistent.

When I asked her why she wanted me to "sign her out".  She told me, it's because the water is cold.  I told her that was an awfully wimpy excuse, and that before she knew it, it would be so hot, she'll be dreaming of jumping into the water at swim team.

It will be in the 90s this week.  I think I might be seeing the "Thank You" note, sooner rather than later...

P.S.  Did you see the girl she drew in her swim team note?  She's smiling.  I think that proves that I'm right.

Sisters Update- Graduation Style

This week, in honor of our recent gathering for Christine's graduation, we decided we'd all dig through the archives and pull out our very own graduation photos.  Some are more vintage than others, ahem.

Here we go (someone tell me if I got the dates wrong):

SARAH 1997:

I spent the last 3 hours going through every photo album and memorabilia box in the basement and had pretty much concluded that there must not be any photographic evidence of my BYU graduation anywhere. But of course in the last box I would have thought to look in, I found a few priceless snapshots. I can't believe how young everyone looks. It's awesome to see Grandpa Z there. I forgot it was at the Provo Tabernacle. In all my searching I also found my old planner which reminded me that John & Stephanie were getting married that same weekend so Scott flew home for the rehearsal dinner and then back for the graduation (which he missed due to delayed flights and an unplanned overnight in Vegas) and then I flew out for the wedding the afternoon after the graduation.

Last week:
1. Supported the boys in their goal to participate in the school-sponsored No TV Week. No TV, movies, computer, video games, iPods - Monday through Friday. I wasn't going to make them do it but the promise of an extra recess motivated them. It was a challenge, but it was really amazing to see the difference it made in our home - more playing together, more talking about their days, earlier to bed, on time to school - how could we live this way forever? It's not practical in our world today to think we could live without computers and the Internet. But I suppose we could implement limits on all of the above, or do our own unplugged weeks from time to time. I was so impressed with their resolve I kicked in an extra $10 incentive mid-week.

2. Recovered from an amazing weekend with all the family visitors and activities. Cleaned up the house, got back to work, ate A LOT of pulled pork leftovers (sadly 6 lbs will still end up in the trash), made a pile of lost & found items (anyone claim the clinique foundation compact in the kitchen?).

3. Started planning details of our upcoming East Coast trip. Plane tickets are in place but need to figure out the New York City days hotels (I'm leaning towards a Central Park location) & activities (got our Statue of Liberty tickets already), and car rentals for the rest of our time.

4. Totally missed the Anthro sale. So sad. Oh well. Guess maxi dresses weren't meant to be for me.


This week:
1. Friday is our first Rooftop Concert. Need to pull it all together and make sure everything is covered. I'm tremendously relieved the weather reports are looking fabulous.

2. Update my blog - need to cover spring break, graduation/oliver's baptism weekend, and various odds & ends. Must update before our trip.

3. Get work project far enough along to be able to do a demo (maybe I'll have to go out to CA soon - it's been a while)

4. More planning of East Coast trip - actually need to pull the trigger on hotels and cars.

ANNEE 1999:

(Three months puffy and pregnant with Henry!  And Sarah is nearly 4 months pregnant with Brenden in the above picture)

Last Week:
-Celebrated Spring Break 2011 for the second time.  This time it was with the kids, and decidedly not with Darin, who is once again fully "Heads Down" wrapping up his semester.
-Took the children to the UNC Planetarium.  I was pretty sure this activity would be a total nerdy bust.  To my utter amazement my kids were way into the "Carolina Night Sky" show.  When it came time for the presenter to ask questions, all four of my kids hands shot up in the air.  They had many sky questions.  Who knew?!
-Sent Jane and Ruby to a day of horse camp.  We thought of Aunt Christine that day.  The girls went with a couple of their friends from school.  They rode horses!  Too bad I didn't stick around to see it.  They want to go back soon.
-Packed up Wednesday night, so that we could depart first thing Thursday morning for Carolina Beach!!  We spent all day Thursday at the beach and hotel pools.  Spent the night at the hotel Thursday night.  Found ourselves back out at the beach by 9am Friday morning, where we stayed until early afternoon.  Then we got hungry.  Found lunch at a cute Beach Shack pancake restaurant, and ended the day at the NC Aquarium.  It was the most delightful spring break trip I have ever taken!

This Week:
-Recover from spring break!  The house is a disaster.  Laundry is everywhere.  I haven't had five minutes to myself in weeks!  (come on, it feels that way to me!)
-I'll be subbing on Thursday and Friday.  I better savor every moment of my quiet Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday!
-Finish my quilt.  This is the week.  I just know it is!!!
-Have fun with Darin again.  By Tuesday morning he'll be totally done with this semester.  Everything will be turned in.  I would say we have a few day-time dates worth of celebratory fun coming our way.  He will have a three week break before he takes a summer class.

IE LI 2006:

 Last week:
-Easter Sunday with family in Provo complete with dinner, egg hunt, and family love.
-Monday morning short bike ride with Sarah and kids.
-Monday lunch with Jonathan, Ie Ling, and Ie Ling's boyfriend Blake at Zupas.
-returned to Virginia.
-swimming, T-ball, and preschool.
-finally took down the brass chandelier and replaced it with a paper lantern for the former dining room/present craft room.  Steve did most of the work.
-cleaned up the house only to let it get messy again.
-celebrated Steve's birthday with presents and one of Steve's favorite desserts, strawberry cheesecake.
-bought some gray TOMS for myself.  You were all right.  They are amazingly comfortable and I might have shed a tear or two in Nordstrom as I watched the TOMS video.
-went on a date with Steve.

 This week:

-swimming, preschool, t-ball
-help Steve execute the Elders' Quorum sponsored adult ward social.  Any suggestions for cool, easy, cheap centerpieces?
-a girls' night with friends
-I'm also thinking that I should host a playgroup at my house because it's going to rain a lot this week.
-hang up at least three things on the wall.
-exercise and eat well
-make a decision about doing another Ragnar Relay in September.  The team needs five or six more people.  Anyone interested?
-find a babysitter for the social

STEVE 2007:

RACHEL 2009:

 It's really, really sad to me that my home computer has died and won't turn on (Rachel got her computer back, so I've added this picture!).  I'm sure I can get it repaired, or at least get all my data off of it.  But I haven't been able to use it for the last week.  I thought my graduation photos were on my external hard drive but when I pulled it out to check tonight, they aren't there.  So so frustrating.  The only graduation photo I have is one I put on facebook at the time as a profile picture and the one I've attached.  I really wanted to pull out one of the group photos. Or the jumping photos!!  Ok, I should sleep it off.  

LAST WEEK
--Returned from vacation on Monday night and was glad I only had to make it through a 4 day week!  So sleepy.
--Tuesday - Finally used Macy's giftcard from the wedding to buy fancy sheets.  Just happened to be the first day of the Friends & Family 25% off event (ends Monday) so that was lucky!
--Tuesday - Made one last purchase in the Anthro discount window.  CZ you're right, they did still have the flower bathmat! 
--Got the house back under control post-vacation.  Cleaning, laundry, cleared off bookshelf, reorganized closet, unpacked a random box. 
--Pulled one more all-nighter on Friday night to help Ken finish his last paper for school ever.  34 pages long.  Thank goodness that's done!
--Slept almost all day Saturday, except for when we drove out to Olney, MD to go to the first Cafe Rio in the DC area!!  It tasted great.  They weren't as speedy as the Utah locations, but that will come. 
--Made a homemade pizza on Sunday afternoon as we have done almost every week this year.  (Best dough = whole foods, best sauce = still TBD...) But it is probably the last time we'll be able to do that for the summer.  It's getting too hot! 

THIS WEEK
--I'll be working at a client site out in Chantilly, VA for the next 2 weeks.  A little nervous.  Really need to leave early tomorrow.
--Finalize Mother's Day gift plans and order/mail
--SEE A MOVIE.  (Atlas Shrugged and Jane Eyre - still top of the list)
--Go back to volleyball on Monday night! 
--Cook dinner at least 2 times this week + weekend.  Run at least 4 times this week.  Time to resume these parts of life after the busy season shut down. 
--Possibly head up to PA on Saturday to visit some friends!

CHRISTINE 2011:

Last few weeks (this is a little long since I missed a couple weeks):

- Got locked out of my bedroom, which resulted in borrowing an extra tall ladder from the Wiley's neighbors to use to climb into my unlocked window on the second floor.
- Ran out of gas, luckily in a parking lot, where I was able to safely wait for mom and Brenden, Oliver, and June to come to the rescue.
- Took three finals and completed one final project, all of which resulted in me successfully passing all of my classes so that I could GRADUATE (with the exception of one pesky independent study class that is currently being tackled.)
- Enjoyed a great graduation/Easter weekend with most of my family in town, it really was perfect.
- Went to a Bees game and had a mini BBQ with friends, we try to take advantage of any warm days we have.
- Hiked the Y a few times, it's become a part of my minimal workout regimen.

This week:

- Work at Anthropologie Monday and Tuesday, I'm finally getting some more hours!
- Go riding at least twice and go to yoga three times.
- Make some good progress in my independent study class.
- Apply to take the CPA exam.