Really, I couldn't have asked for a better day. Slept late this morning, then honored Rachel's pleading request last night: "Mommy, when you get up tomorrow, can you play with me?" We played one round of a board games she has that involves looking for treasure and getting to a castle, and she beat me handily. Drew had set up breakfast outside, and I had the most amazing cherry and almond scone, a find from last Saturday's farmer's market (finally found something food-related that is better here than in PDX -- scones!). Drew took Rachel to her swim lesson while I weeded for about two hours and prepared one of our planter's boxes for an herb garden.
Afterward, I raced over to the field for Rachel's tee-ball game ("Mommy, can you please, please, PLEASE come to my game today?" she beseeched me this morning, and of course I said yes. Detect a pattern here???) and had a nice time talking to the other parents. Today's game was live pitching for the first time all season, and Rachel had a little trouble connecting with the ball, but otherwise she did pretty well.
We got a last-minute invite from a new friend of mine, Donna, whose cartoon "Reply All" is syndicated by The Washington Post, to go to dinner with her and her nieces, who are 10 and 8. So we drove into Tenleytown, the area by American University, and played in a cool playground for a while and walked to dinner. On the way we passed Sidwell Friends (Obamas kids go to school there) and the house where the wife of The Post's former owner lived. I love stumbling on history accidentally -- a big benefit of living out here, where history feels closer to the present day than it does out West.
We went to a peri-peri chicken place and Rachel immediately bonded with Donna's nieces, Eva and Maddie. Maddie, the oldest, watched out for Rachel and by the end of the night they were a very tight threesome. We're going to try to get together again soon, maybe for a picnic and concert at the Sculpture Garden or the Kennedy Center (concerts there on Friday nights, I hear) and at the National Cathedral, where you can hear the bells ring while you eat on the grounds. So happy we live in a place with so many things to do!!!
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Friday, May 30, 2014
Rachel's birthday party
The other day, Rachel announced that she wanted to have a rock-star birthday party. And how did she come to this conclusion? She surveyed her class, put the results in a bar chart, and...no, I can't keep up with her anymore.
She has since changed her mind to a jungle party. How I'm going to pull that one off, I have no clue. What happened to nice, simple parties in the park with cake, chips and a piñata? I think I'm dangerously close to being out of my depth.
She has since changed her mind to a jungle party. How I'm going to pull that one off, I have no clue. What happened to nice, simple parties in the park with cake, chips and a piñata? I think I'm dangerously close to being out of my depth.
Thoughtful Rachel....
Rachel did something incredibly thoughtful the other day. I staggered out of bed Thursday morning, quite tired, in time to throw on some clothes and take her to school. When I got to the bathroom, Rachel said, "Mom, I noticed the toilet paper was low so I put in new roll for you."
And tonight, after tee-ball practice, she insisted on carrying my purse, along with my backpack, despite my repeated attempts to carry it myself.
Clearly, my work here is done.
And tonight, after tee-ball practice, she insisted on carrying my purse, along with my backpack, despite my repeated attempts to carry it myself.
Clearly, my work here is done.
Rachel loves to learn...
The other night while I was at work, Rachel said to Drew, "Why do we have to have summer vacation? I love school!"
"I love school too," Drew said, "because I love learning things."
"I love learning, too," Rachel said. "I bet a lot of kids would say they hate school and want to play all day. Who wouldn't love learning new things?"
She's very excited about the summer academic program we've enrolled her in. Drew described it as a special summer program for kids who love to learn.
"I love school too," Drew said, "because I love learning things."
"I love learning, too," Rachel said. "I bet a lot of kids would say they hate school and want to play all day. Who wouldn't love learning new things?"
She's very excited about the summer academic program we've enrolled her in. Drew described it as a special summer program for kids who love to learn.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Happy Memorial Day weekend!
This morning I was determined that Drew, Rachel and I get out and do something as a family, since I've been sick the last week and half or so, it was a gorgeous day (and promises to be a gorgeous weekend, not hot or sticky but a lot like Oregon in the summer) and I'll be working tomorrow and Monday nights.
But first I had to run over to Ivy's house and say goodbye to Billy, her dad, who is leaving on assignment to Afghanistan for the Foreign Service. We had a nice cup of tea together and talked a bit about the Foreign Service -- he thinks Drew and I would be great for it -- and they do take people up to 59 1/2 years old, so it's something to think about when Rachel is getting ready to go to college. We ended up talking for about an hour; Rachel came by on her own to "say goodbye to Billy, too," but, really, it was to play with Ivy. Ivy was in tears most of the morning because she doesn't want her dad to go; he'll be away for about a year but will be back for long visits. I promised Billy we'd look after Jenny and the kids and try to give her a night off once in a while by watching Liam and Ivy.
Then Rachel and I came home, ate breakfast and started setting up some Lego building kits that PopPop and Mammaw had gotten her (thanks again, PopPop and Mammaw!) When I tried to set one of the parts of the kit up and couldn't get it, Rachel cheerfully told me, "...and don't be afraid to make mistakes. We love mistakes! That's how we learn!"
I swear, she is so ready to be a kindergarten teacher.
Then we headed out to Mount Vernon, which I didn't get to see much of when PopPop and Mammaw were in town. This time we got to watch a 25-minute movie about Washington (which actually was quite good), I got to tour the house and we got to see the flower garden and a couple of outbuildings before racing home to meet Ruth, in town to take care of her parents. (Rachel could actually read aloud some of the signs near the outbuildings, which caused one couple behind her to turn to Drew and say, "we've decided she's very smart.") I bought a yearlong pass to Mount Vernon, which I am sure we will use again to visit in the fall and at Christmas, which I've heard is absolutely magnificent. I told Drew that I could happily take a book and sit on the back veranda of Mount Vernon, starting at the Potomac and returning to my book all afternoon....
Ruth and I talked and drank wine for a bit, then we met up with Drew and Rachel (who had gone back to Ivy's house) and headed to the Lebanese Taverna, our favorite restaurant in town and one we visit so often that they are getting to know us quite well and are always charmed by Rachel. We finished up the night getting ice cream at Tobey's, the local ice cream place, where Rachel saw Blake, a kid in one of her after-school programs.
When we got home we had a mini-crisis: Rachel had left Snowball, a piglet Drew bought for her at Mount Vernon, at Ivy's. She was upset that Drew didn't go right over to Ivy's to get it, but I told her she could go over there herself first thing tomorrow morning. She was still crying when she went to bed. I just hope it is, indeed, there in the morning.
But first I had to run over to Ivy's house and say goodbye to Billy, her dad, who is leaving on assignment to Afghanistan for the Foreign Service. We had a nice cup of tea together and talked a bit about the Foreign Service -- he thinks Drew and I would be great for it -- and they do take people up to 59 1/2 years old, so it's something to think about when Rachel is getting ready to go to college. We ended up talking for about an hour; Rachel came by on her own to "say goodbye to Billy, too," but, really, it was to play with Ivy. Ivy was in tears most of the morning because she doesn't want her dad to go; he'll be away for about a year but will be back for long visits. I promised Billy we'd look after Jenny and the kids and try to give her a night off once in a while by watching Liam and Ivy.
Then Rachel and I came home, ate breakfast and started setting up some Lego building kits that PopPop and Mammaw had gotten her (thanks again, PopPop and Mammaw!) When I tried to set one of the parts of the kit up and couldn't get it, Rachel cheerfully told me, "...and don't be afraid to make mistakes. We love mistakes! That's how we learn!"
I swear, she is so ready to be a kindergarten teacher.
Then we headed out to Mount Vernon, which I didn't get to see much of when PopPop and Mammaw were in town. This time we got to watch a 25-minute movie about Washington (which actually was quite good), I got to tour the house and we got to see the flower garden and a couple of outbuildings before racing home to meet Ruth, in town to take care of her parents. (Rachel could actually read aloud some of the signs near the outbuildings, which caused one couple behind her to turn to Drew and say, "we've decided she's very smart.") I bought a yearlong pass to Mount Vernon, which I am sure we will use again to visit in the fall and at Christmas, which I've heard is absolutely magnificent. I told Drew that I could happily take a book and sit on the back veranda of Mount Vernon, starting at the Potomac and returning to my book all afternoon....
Ruth and I talked and drank wine for a bit, then we met up with Drew and Rachel (who had gone back to Ivy's house) and headed to the Lebanese Taverna, our favorite restaurant in town and one we visit so often that they are getting to know us quite well and are always charmed by Rachel. We finished up the night getting ice cream at Tobey's, the local ice cream place, where Rachel saw Blake, a kid in one of her after-school programs.
When we got home we had a mini-crisis: Rachel had left Snowball, a piglet Drew bought for her at Mount Vernon, at Ivy's. She was upset that Drew didn't go right over to Ivy's to get it, but I told her she could go over there herself first thing tomorrow morning. She was still crying when she went to bed. I just hope it is, indeed, there in the morning.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Feeling bad
Yesterday at work I started feeling a lot of pain in my throat and an overall crummy- ness all over my body. Turns out that I either have: a) a cold or b) allergies. Drew diagnosed me with (B) so I just took some Benadryl and all I want to do is sleep. Which I will until the HVAC guy comes to inspect the house and I have to take a shower and leave for work -- all starting at 1 p.m.
I did, however, walk Rachel to school yesterday and today instead of heeding Drew's plea to sleep in. The only time I really get to see her is during the week, and we have some of the most interesting conversations on the way. Today she mentioned that there's a lot of bird poop everywhere and I said, yes, because it's spring and the birds are out, and usually when they poop they're flying and not on their nests, nd then she wondered why birds don't have little flush toilets where they build their nests. So, THAT led to a explanation of why typhus and other diseases flourished until scientists realized that when people drink and cook with water that they've contaminated by throwing their urine and poop into it, then, yes, they will get sick. It was a revelation to Rachel; I'm sure we haven't had the last of that conversation.
Cute Rachel saying from last night while she was with Drew and I was at work: "I think it's cool that my mom works for the LARGEST NEWSPAPER IN D.C.!"
I think it's cool, too, kid. Which is why I want to get better quickly -- want to keep learning more and expanding my brain at The Washington Post.
I did, however, walk Rachel to school yesterday and today instead of heeding Drew's plea to sleep in. The only time I really get to see her is during the week, and we have some of the most interesting conversations on the way. Today she mentioned that there's a lot of bird poop everywhere and I said, yes, because it's spring and the birds are out, and usually when they poop they're flying and not on their nests, nd then she wondered why birds don't have little flush toilets where they build their nests. So, THAT led to a explanation of why typhus and other diseases flourished until scientists realized that when people drink and cook with water that they've contaminated by throwing their urine and poop into it, then, yes, they will get sick. It was a revelation to Rachel; I'm sure we haven't had the last of that conversation.
Cute Rachel saying from last night while she was with Drew and I was at work: "I think it's cool that my mom works for the LARGEST NEWSPAPER IN D.C.!"
I think it's cool, too, kid. Which is why I want to get better quickly -- want to keep learning more and expanding my brain at The Washington Post.
Some excitement around here, the bad kind
Early Sunday morning I woke up with the most incredible stomach pains I've ever had. No, it wasn't my period and I'm not pregnant. I tried all different kinds of positions but in the end couldn't make it go away, which is how I ended up in the emergency room of our local hospital.
A doc diagnosed me with an ovarian cyst that may possibly be bleeding, and a backup in my colon (I will spare you, dear readers, from the mortifying details). Anyway, I spent about 5 hours there and then came home.
My friend Miriam from PDX was in town and we were going to meet her at the zoo. That got scrapped in favor of sitting around the table in our backyard talking. I ended up walking with Miriam to the train station, then walking back home. It crossed my mind that, hey, if I had been scheduled to work on Sunday, I could have just taken the train in with her.
When I got home I had a call from someone on the MPE desk who wondered where I was. Turns out that I HAD, indeed, been scheduled to work Sunday; I misread the schedule. So I jumped into some barely presentable clothes, hopped into the car and drove to work. Had to scuttle all the plans I'd made to nap, cook ahead for the week while Drew grilled, and eat dinner WITH MY FAMILY. But, hey, a job is a job....
A doc diagnosed me with an ovarian cyst that may possibly be bleeding, and a backup in my colon (I will spare you, dear readers, from the mortifying details). Anyway, I spent about 5 hours there and then came home.
My friend Miriam from PDX was in town and we were going to meet her at the zoo. That got scrapped in favor of sitting around the table in our backyard talking. I ended up walking with Miriam to the train station, then walking back home. It crossed my mind that, hey, if I had been scheduled to work on Sunday, I could have just taken the train in with her.
When I got home I had a call from someone on the MPE desk who wondered where I was. Turns out that I HAD, indeed, been scheduled to work Sunday; I misread the schedule. So I jumped into some barely presentable clothes, hopped into the car and drove to work. Had to scuttle all the plans I'd made to nap, cook ahead for the week while Drew grilled, and eat dinner WITH MY FAMILY. But, hey, a job is a job....
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Could she get any more sweet?
"Mommy, did you ever lose an eyelash?" Rachel asked while we cuddled in bed last Monday.
"Yes, I and I made a wish," I answered. "And I can't say what the wishes were because then they won't come true."
"I made a wish, too, and I can tell you because it came true," Rachel said.
"What did you wish?" I asked.
"I wished for the best Mommy EVER," she said, hugging me.
And my heart melted just a little bit more.
Another crazy weekend
Busy day today -- my friend Charon and her 8-year-old son, Cameron, came over to help with some gardening tasks this morning. Rachel helped us pull weeds and rake up the soil, and we filled four yard waste bags. I stopped when I realized we needed more yard waste bags and some wooden strips for our planters, plus the kids were hungry and Rachel needed to go to her swim lesson.
I took Charon and Cameron out to lunch as a thank-you for helping us, then went to the bank, came back home, changed clothes and headed to Rachel's tee-ball game where I saw her scoop up the ball at third base and throw it to the first baseman. YAY RACHEL!!! I shouted, beside myself with excitement. Now I know why parents get insane at their kids' sports accomplishments!
Then we headed home for a playdate; Rachel's friend Simone came over and they spent much of the time...reading. Seriously. Simone's parents call her G.G. (Gorgeous Genius), and so she and Rachel have decided that Rachel's nickname is G.G. 2 (Gorgeous Genius 2). So we refer to them when they're together as G.G.1 and G.G. 2. It is beyond adorable.
I raced to Home Depot, where I found everything except the wooden strips, and got home just in time to change again for a party at Ivy's parents' house. Billy, her dad, is a Foreign Service officer who is headed to Afghanistan on his second (and hopefully last) hardship assignment next week. They had a spread of Mexican food and Jenny, Ivy's mom, made an awesome Tres Leches cake. I got into a long conversation with a Secret Service officer and his Estonian wife. He gave me a rundown of the history of the Secret Service and told me a little about what he does (he's in cybersecurity). I got into another long conversation with a woman who I've volunteered with at McKinley, and we were trading horror stories about the property management companies that are managing the houses we're renting (we have had a leak in the downstairs closet since Thursday and the company promised to send someone out on Friday to look at it, but we've heard nothing. NOTHING. Meanwhile we've soaked two towels trying to sop up the leak and two of the boxes holding Drew's stuff were ruined, and now Drew says we may be liable for the damage if the management company decides were were liable for not shutting off the pipes fast enough when it got cold -- an idea that sickens me, since we DON'T OWN THIS HOUSE AND I AM NOT PUTTING ONE CENT OF MY HARD-EARNED MONEY INTO FIXING SOMETHING THAT'S NOT OUR FAULT). Of course, this woman at the party has a far worse situation than ours, so, really, I should be more thankful.
And then at 8:30 it started getting chilly outside so we left. A very typical day in D.C., and a wonderful one.
I took Charon and Cameron out to lunch as a thank-you for helping us, then went to the bank, came back home, changed clothes and headed to Rachel's tee-ball game where I saw her scoop up the ball at third base and throw it to the first baseman. YAY RACHEL!!! I shouted, beside myself with excitement. Now I know why parents get insane at their kids' sports accomplishments!
Then we headed home for a playdate; Rachel's friend Simone came over and they spent much of the time...reading. Seriously. Simone's parents call her G.G. (Gorgeous Genius), and so she and Rachel have decided that Rachel's nickname is G.G. 2 (Gorgeous Genius 2). So we refer to them when they're together as G.G.1 and G.G. 2. It is beyond adorable.
I raced to Home Depot, where I found everything except the wooden strips, and got home just in time to change again for a party at Ivy's parents' house. Billy, her dad, is a Foreign Service officer who is headed to Afghanistan on his second (and hopefully last) hardship assignment next week. They had a spread of Mexican food and Jenny, Ivy's mom, made an awesome Tres Leches cake. I got into a long conversation with a Secret Service officer and his Estonian wife. He gave me a rundown of the history of the Secret Service and told me a little about what he does (he's in cybersecurity). I got into another long conversation with a woman who I've volunteered with at McKinley, and we were trading horror stories about the property management companies that are managing the houses we're renting (we have had a leak in the downstairs closet since Thursday and the company promised to send someone out on Friday to look at it, but we've heard nothing. NOTHING. Meanwhile we've soaked two towels trying to sop up the leak and two of the boxes holding Drew's stuff were ruined, and now Drew says we may be liable for the damage if the management company decides were were liable for not shutting off the pipes fast enough when it got cold -- an idea that sickens me, since we DON'T OWN THIS HOUSE AND I AM NOT PUTTING ONE CENT OF MY HARD-EARNED MONEY INTO FIXING SOMETHING THAT'S NOT OUR FAULT). Of course, this woman at the party has a far worse situation than ours, so, really, I should be more thankful.
And then at 8:30 it started getting chilly outside so we left. A very typical day in D.C., and a wonderful one.
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