overheard often

"Pearl, you're the best boy in the world!" -Milo

i ran a mile tonight. without stopping. and i wasn't really that tired. i would've kept going except it was getting dark and i didn't want to have to use the pocketknife jamie made me take. so, yeah, running a mile without wanting to puke my guts out is kind of a big deal for me at this point. woo.

(running tonight was also imperative because we just got back from eating the Costco Feast. unfamiliar? the Costco Feast is: 1 slice pepperoni pizza, 1 polish dog with sauerkraut, 1 churro, 1 berry smoothie, and 4 refills of root beer. 7 bucks well spent. 1500-ish calories we could do without.)

if this post doesn't get at least 43 comments, i'm quitting

this is the tree our front window looks out on. i love it. the blossoms are amazing. the other day we had a serious discussion on whether or not it is an apricot tree because of the "popcorn popping" vibe it's giving off.

confessions of a non-runner

Jill just left our house after a fantastic couple of hours of catching up. She is a really great friend. She even acted like she didn't mind when I spent basically the whole visit trying to get my kids to do tricks for her, of which they wouldn't oblige. "Milo, Milo, say 'Amish peace!' Do it or you're grounded for life! No, I'm serious, young man. Do it!" I'm one of those parents. Ew.

Jill was always the totally organized, focused, disciplined friend in college. Along with Valerie, she was also the healthy one. I would try to only eat wheat bread and steamed vegetables and the fat-free spray butter because I was trying to be health-conscious like they were, but it just didn't stick. I married a sugar fanatic and he brought me over to the dark side faster than you can say Milk Duds.

Lately, though, Jamie and I are trying to be healthy again. We've been eating lots of vegetables and a little less sugar and we've even been running regularly. Running and I have a love/hate relationship. I really would love to be a runner, but at the same time I absolutely despise it and I despise everyone who says they love running. (That last part is not completely true. A lot of people I love happen to love running. I don't despise them, I'm jealous of them.) Anyway, I am having a rough go with the running. I just can't run very far. I'm not even going to give you a numeric figure because it is that pathetic. But Jamie is a good coach and keeps telling me, "You'll be running (blank distance) by next month for sure!" And I get hopeful and motivated to run for another day. I am sharing all of this with you to give myself some blog accountability: You all can (should) ask me in a month if I'm still running and shame me back into it if I've quit. I'm also sharing this as a preface to one key point: It was really really really fabulous weather today and we went to the park and ran and played and it was lovely.

If this weather keeps up, I'll be running a marathon quicker than you can say Milk Duds.

P.S. Go Suns!!!! As I write this you are in overtime with the dirty dirty Spurs and I hope you wipe the floor with them. Those dirty dirty Spurs.

Update: I HATE THE SPURS. Next game we've got 'em. Dirty Spurs. Cry baby Duncan.

el libro es bueno

Be my Goodreads friend, if you please.

birds pass by to tell me that i'm not alone

today was kind of a bummer day and then I read a note on my computer from the huz (-band) telling me we are going to the death cab - tegan + sara - rogue wave concert on may 26! yesssss. today is feeling better. what a thoughtful dude i have.

(the playlist is now devoted to those bands, except i'm keeping bon iver, andrew bird, + alexi murdoch on because i can't get enough of them. when are they coming to town anyway?)

give peace a chance

Milo is a champ at speaking, but he definitely has his unintelligible moments. Lately he has been pointing to the sky, smiling, and saying, "Amish peace." So, in behalf of my son, I'd like to take this opportunity to plead with our Amish friends: Stop the fighting. Quit the violence. Give peace a chance, for goodness' sake.

i love you, debbie lieberstein.

saturday night live is pretty funny lately. this digital short makes we want to cry because it's so funny and also because it scared me the first time i saw it.

also funny: judy grimes. kate posted a video of hers. just kidding, she didn't. just kidding, she did.

three more trip-related things

1. I forgot to mention that we, of course, went to H&M in NY to see what all the hype was about. Am I way off-base in saying that the clothes were pretty disappointing, and if you told me I was at Metrocenter Mall in, say, Pia's, I would've said, "Yes. Indubitably." Was it just an off day for H&M? I know I have my off days.

2. Cute.


3. Doesn't Paul (Eliza's father) look like he should be on The Sartorialist? My little point-and-shoot didn't do the look justice, but he really was giving off that vibe. Love Paul.

no more monkeys jumping on the bed

browsing jcrew today. apparently they make a lot of wedding dresses now. boy do i love this one. i don't want to get married again. i just want a reason to wear this dress with a cute little shrug. will one of my friends throw a ball or something already?

maybe if it was Nash...

We are purging our lives of junk lately and came across this great find from the mid-90s, a golden era for your Phoenix Suns:



The little boy saw it, ran to it, embraced it. "Oh mannnnnnnnnnnnnnn! Basketball! Oh man! Yesss."

I really want to throw it away while I'm sure Milo would prefer it propped lovingly next to the TV, his two favorite things in blissful cohabitation. But then, it is signed by the Team Leaders themselves. We're talking KJ, Barkley, and hottie Dan Majerle. I am wondering it anyone on eBay would shell out a dollar or two for it.

Cotton Fitzsimmmons, Danny Ainge, Shazaaaam, Purple Palace, Whatashotwhataburger, NBA Finals. Really, the memories are flooding back.

So, should I love it or lose it?

all the news that's fit to blog

In weekend news, General Conference was amazing. I have kind of been in a slump and now I feel so motivated to be a better person. More loving, less judgmental. Ready to stand up for what I believe, unapologetically. Less willing to beat up on myself for all my weaknesses. Proud to be a mother. You get the idea. You can listen to all of the talks here. I particularly recommend talks by Jeffrey R. Holland, M. Russell Ballard, and the last talk of all by President Thomas S. Monson (all Sunday afternoon session). I'm so grateful for these leaders who dedicate their lives to service and the Lord.

In completely unrelated news, I've found the perfect crib set. And it's only about $500! My daughter would probably poop all over it on night three and that would be the end of that. I like to look at it, anyway. (But really, what should I do about a crib set? We are bumper-less, so Pearl gets her legs caught in the crib rails as she thrashes her way to sleep. Sleeping in general is just so lovely around here...)

In slightly related news, look at the beautiful cake my sister-in-law Amy made. She is so talented in that department. It was red velvet inside, and delicious too.

In entertainment news, we tried to fly a kite last week. We failed miserably. We are pretty sure it's the kite's fault.


In news of heroism, Jamie saved Pearl from choking on a little piece of plastic wrapper last week and she instantly became a daddy's girl. It was very interesting (and frightening!) to witness. He was the only one allowed to hold her for awhile, which he loved.

In oh-yeah-what's-new? news, Milo likes cake...


Finally, in my-children-are-growing-up-too-fast news, Milo and Pearl have been practicing Prom poses.

pearl and i have matching eyes. i like that.

wow

Sheye Rosemeyer Photography

I just found this photography blog a few minutes ago. It is amazing. This woman takes pictures of her kids that are beyond words. And I just read that she lost her three-year-old daughter a little over a year ago and now I'm completely blubbering and I'm about to go into my children's room and hug them and I don't even care if they wake up.

tired of being cold

We planted some flowers today in the hopes that Spring will reconsider.

Ranunculus.

Pansies.

And of course, your good-old African Firesticks. (They were on clearance.)

We have been known to kill bamboo, which is like the cockroach of the plant kingdom, so stay tuned to see if these lovelies survive.

voices carry, common courtesy.

I forgot to mention that the day of Eliza's wedding was my birthday. The big 24. It was a wonderful way to celebrate. That morning we took a bus tour of Uptown with a rather interesting tour guide. Now I know where Madonna stays when she's in town.

So long Big Apple...

Back to Philly (after a rather stressful bus ride in which we thought we'd left without Dad and Neil). Then Mom + Dad and Neil + Diana went back to AZ and we were left to actually take care of our own kids for a few days!


In front of City Hall.

The only Hillary supporters on the whole east coast, I swear. I don't believe what the polls say.

Playing while waiting in line for the Liberty Bell.

Ham and a half.


Statue dedicated to the Founders.

We took a carriage ride through Old Town and saw all the historical sites and where the Who's Who of Philadelphia lived.

Ben Franklin's grave. Everyone was throwing money on it, so we did too. Still have no idea why. We're sheep.

Before we left, we ate at Dinic's in Reading Terminal, home of the best pork sandwich in the city says The Arizona Republic. We definitely agree.

Home again home again, jiggity jig. We'll be back! (When our children learn some airplane etiquette. Sheesh.)