Week in Review

Yes, this totally happened last week. The children loved having Mr. Day come to read to us. :)

MIL came for a visit from Germany so naturally we had to pose in front of a North Carolina sign.

We enjoyed walking around Dilworth and having coffee at Starbucks.

On Friday, we went to the Bechtler Museum.

Friday dinner with friends and Johnson & Wales students made a yummy meal for us!

Andrew is about to run a marathon!!! Look at those smiles. 

Here he is at mile 19. It was a brutal hill but he did it.

 Done! So proud!! He was exhausted. It really blows my mind that he/anyone could run 26.2 miles. Very impressive.

Purple!!

I've always heard that it's so exciting to buy a new house and wait for spring to see what will come up in the yard. Rozzie was built two years ago and no one had ever lived here so I wasn't expecting much. What a fun surprise it was to see these purple azaleas bloom! 

I'm in love with spring.

Funny things

I don't cook on Thursdays. It's my Friday and after 4 days of 14 3/4 year olds, I'm exhausted. I usually cook most weeknights but I really look forward to Thursdays. If I do make dinner on Thursday nights, I consider it a HUGE accomplishment.

I received a gift card to Common Market from the parents at preschool and that's where we went tonight. We went here on our second date and had a blast that night. We also went there right after we got married. I know it's only been two years, but I do tend to forget things. Tonight as we were walking up, I had this crazy thought which I then verbalized, "Did we really go here right after we got married?!". One of those... 'that's really funny we did that' moments'. Maybe you have to know the place to get it... it's very eclectic, hipster, very casual, and cheap {but the sandwiches are awesome}. Definitely not what I think of as a "let's go get food four hours after we got married" kinda place. :)

This picture is classic Andrew. When it comes to food, he's a man on a mission. So focused and he usually eats pretty fast. This toasted pimento cheese is the best in Charlotte, so he says.

I love living so close to Uptown.

It was one of those days...

... where you wake up really early without an alarm clock and get a lot done before work. Oh and my morning coffee was really good. I really enjoy coffee and it's evolved over the years from creamer + sugar to almond milk + honey on most days. 

Preschool was great. We're in a 6 week study about our bodies and a parent brought in foods that are bitter (kale), sour (lemon slices), salty (potato chip), and sweet (strawberries and a small piece of cake). A parent emailed me this afternoon and told me that her child is eating raw asparagus and it tastes "bitter". 

I did an experiment with the children: gave them lotion and then sprinkled germs on their hands (red glitter). They shook hands with each other and the "germs" spread around. I gave them a paper towel to wipe it off which didn't work. Then I told them that only soap and warm water will get all the glitter off. They got it. Oh, and I traced their bodies onto a large sheet of paper and their homework is to add a face, hair, clothes to their body. I can't wait to see them on Monday. 

I made an awesome dinner for a friend who just had a baby. Chicken salad that is so good, and then I concocted an Israeli couscous salad with fresh veggies. Oh, and homemade brownies with sprinkles. Really trying to not make as many sweets in life... but I felt like it tonight. Oh and I got to hold a sweet lil baby when I dropped off dinner. 

I came home and Andrew and I ate the rest of dinner on our front porch. There was a breeze. He left for a meeting and I left for a bike ride 'round the Hood. I said hello to neighbors sitting on their porches. They said, "Hey sweetie, how you doin?" and I asked an elderly neighbor sittin on his porch if he was waiting for the rain to come. 

I arrived home and my heart was happy. It was such a good day. They're not all like this one, oh no. Life is hard and some days are just rough. But today was one of those where your heart feels full and so thankful for a new season. There's just something about the pale green buds on trees and those teeny purple flowers growing in the grass that are probably weeds but at least they're beautiful and something new.

A backyard view after I locked up my bike.