ahhhh friday :0

I couldn't be happier that today is Friday and I couldn't be happier knowing that I get to go home to Joe tonight :) - it is such a treat to have a Friday night together, even though Joe will be needing the evening to get some grad school work done, I'm just so happy that we'll finally come home to each other to start the weekend. The bulk of the move is complete - we (by we, I mean me) had a few bumps emotionally this week, but we're in and I am so excited about creating our home together. I promise that pics are coming soon (we still don't have internet) but I can't wait to share! The place is so us.

Here's a sweet song of the day for today - enjoy!

well hello Mr. President...

I met the POTUS today peeps - yep you read it right, the President of the United States.

Well, actually I just got to shake his hand, but let me tell you guys, the man has got some serious swagger. You can imagine that I was completely calm and collected as I naturally am around celebrities (kat, linds, laura -reference my recent encounter with Joshua Radin) - when he shook my hand, I very gracefully said, Nice to meet you Mr. President and gave him a firm handshake and he looked me straight in the eyes and gave me a big smile and said.....ummmm, well I can't remember, I was too star struck by his dreamy charisma :).

We got a private tour from the pilot himself, Scott Turner - total top gun dude and unfortunately, we didn't get to take pics inside, but we got to sit in Barak's chair in his office and see his bedroom and the conference room where apparently he plays cards for entire flights on a lot of trips :) with Reggie Love. We also got to see the medical room and hear about the slumber parties Chelsea Clinton used to have on board and the way that Nancy Reagan refused to leave Ronald Reagan's casket on their trip to California. oooh and we got to sit in the cockpit too! Here are a few pics!

joe always makes me feel better...

I was having a case of cold feet about the move today - a combination of feeling a little guilty about Joe having to bear the burden of a longer commute for a couple months (I hate to add any more stress to his already super busy schedule!) and just my usual nervousness about change and new surroundings...

but once again, my rock solid boyfriend pulls through...the guy just exudes positivity and I couldn't be more grateful for his grounded can-do-ness. Reason #1,984,379 that I'm head over heels in love with him.

bridal tea

One of my dearest friends in all the world is getting married this summer and yesterday we kicked off the celebration with a bridal shower tea in the city at an adorable tea room called Lovejoy's. It was so fun to meet and spend time with some of the important women in Lindsey's life. Lindsey is such a gracious person and an even more gracious bride to be (no Bridezilla anywhere to be found in her!) and it was an afternoon of genuine excitement about the upcoming wedding.

outing my boyfriend

I haven't been to the Kingdom for a while (that's what we call Joe's place) and yesterday when we got home from dinner (at an awesome funky Mac n'Cheese restaurant called Homeroom), I went into the bedroom and on his night stand was a Gameboy. We were both pooped from our busy days so we plopped down on the bed to rest our spirits for a minute and that's when Joe confessed to me that after we say good night on the phone (we usually chat just before going to bed, often both of us are in bed, and I thought we were both just moments away from dream land) he hangs up and instead of going to bed, busts out the game boy for a few games of tetris. Hah, I loved it - this crazy, super motivated, get down to business educator, chillaxing with a few games of tetris before bed time.

Then, this morning after we got back from our morning run, we were looking at one of Joe's tables to see if it might work for a coffee table in our new place and on top of the table was this crazy lego battle truck thing - he says it's called the batterax, I accidentally called it a battle ship and he acted like he couldn't believe his ears. Turns out he spent a recent evening drinking a beer and building the lego batterax. He then proceeded to show me how certain portions of the batterax detacched to become a flying batterax and then he rolled the truck around on the table making battle noises. Here's a pic, ignore how dusty that table is, we'll be sure to clean that up before the move :).

crazy is the new normal :)...

...yep, that's the truth people, it's been one busy year, one busy fall, one busy winter and one busy spring and you know what - I'm beginning to realize that the crazy probably isn't planning on leaving anytime soon (I mean holy moly, let's be honest we're single and don't even have any kids or pets yet! Moms of the world, I'm not quite sure how you do it!) - but there is light at the end of the tunnel!!!!

Yay, loverboy and I just signed a lease on a new place last night! Which means...

1) No more 45 minute commutes to see each other.

2) No more teary (me being the teary one) phone conversations about how I just can't take the semi long distance.

and the BEST part...

3) Coming home to each other after long days.

ha-le-lu-yah

Bon Apetit!

I heart Julia Childs - I mean, really, how can you not? The woman exudes this contagious, bubbly, effervescence and speaks in a high pitched tone that you can't resist trying to imitate when she exclaims BonJour or Bon Apetit! One evening last summer, I forced Joe to watch Julie and Julia with me and to my surprise, he really enjoyed it - blogging, cooking, food - what's not to love?! Ever since then we have both been wanting to try to make Julia's Boeuf Bourginon. This past weekend, we finally got around to it! Now, I love spending time with Joe, no matter what we are doing, but I have to say, spending time creating something together in the kitchen to share with some of our dearest friends ranks pretty darn high on my list. Don't tell him I said this, but I think Joe is kind of adorable in the kitchen :). The way he plots and plans and problem solves and steals a few sweet kisses every now and then - it all just makes me melt. I have to say, I think the true reason that the Boeuf was extra tasty was because we added our secret ingredient - a whole lot of LOVE!

Ingredients for the Boeuf - 12 oz of bacon, 4 lbs. of organic, grass fed stewing beef, more pearl onions than a single person should ever peel by hand, flour, more onions, carrots, garlic, mushrooms, parsley, beef stock and a bottle (yes a bottle) of wine.

Patting the beef dry so that it will brown -we heard you Julia!

mmmmmm Bacon.

so, so, so, so many Pearl Onions- adorable but pesky little buggers.

mmmmm....Beef browned in bacon fat.

mmmm...Beef braising in a bottle of wine.

Mushrooms and pearl onions post butter bath.

et Voila! Le Boeuf.

Joe and Julia...I mean Lindsey :)

Laura showin' off her pearls :)

Kat getting to work on her candle napkins :)

A few of my favorites :)

Post dinner games :).
I simply love sharing meals with these people.