June 2016 Weekend Update

All dressed up. Ready to get their wedding on. #minttobe #mintcondition #weddingoftheyear

A photo posted by @princessapr on Jun 3, 2016 at 8:42am PDT

June wasn't as busy. Except that first weekend. You know, that weekend my sister got married. It was such a great weekend. The kids were great. The rehearsal dinner ran late. It was fun except the kids stayed up to about midnight so it was rough for them. The day of the wedding, they were with my family so they got to take it easy. It was a really relaxing day. The weather was overcast, but it turned beautiful for the wedding itself. The mint green photographed so nice. The kids had a great time. Little Miss danced her tail off. Captain loved eating everything. The in-laws picked up Captain from the reception so he could get to sleep. Little Miss opted to stay the entire evening and spend the night with my family and her cousin. Captain was co-flower girl. He loved throwing the flower petals - and then he tried to pick them all up afterwards.

We're never getting him out. #beepbeep #throughthewholestore

A photo posted by @princessapr on Jun 3, 2016 at 9:38am PDT

The second weekend in June, it was my birthday. On Friday, I had drinks with friends after work and then we went to see Me Before You. It wasn't the happiest birthday movie, but we enjoyed it. The next night, we did a big dinner with the in-laws as a belated Mother's Day/Father's Day celebration. On Sunday, we went to the pool where the kids were starting to enjoy the water. The swimming lessons Little Miss has been taking have started to pay off and Captain wasn't as afraid of the water.

Perfect match. #mintcondition #armoniia #etsy #flowerboy

A photo posted by @princessapr on Jul 10, 2016 at 10:57am PDT

The third weekend was a nice, relaxing one. We did nothing of note. I'm not even sure we did swimming lessons.

The last weekend, we mostly just took walks and went to the library. Captain loves the activity cube there, and Little Miss picked out books and signed up for the summer reading program. She didn't really finish the program, but it's only because it's based on the number of books you read, not the number of pages. She chose this summer to get into the Harry Potter series which is a lot of reading, but it's not a lot of number of books. The last week in June, Little Miss and I also went to Barnes & Noble for a Harry Potter celebration. She wore her Hermione costume and participated in trivia. She talked me into buying her chocolate frogs. We also had a nice dinner together before heading home. It was nice to have some girl time with her, and Harry Potter has been bringing us together.

My #Hermione is the only one who showed in costume. #harrypottercelebration (@Rob_Sawicki)

A photo posted by @princessapr on Jun 24, 2016 at 4:18pm PDT

March 2016 Weekend Update

March was busy! The first weekend was hockey - super early. Then, later that day, we had Sister's bridal shower and bachelorette party #1. The shower was a lot of fun - presents, good food, mimosas! That night, the girls all went out at Reston Town Center and drank and danced. We shut the place down. Sunday was a sleepy day - literally.

Happy bride! #mooresisson2016

A photo posted by @princessapr on Mar 6, 2016 at 7:30pm PST

The next weekend, Husband took Little Miss to hockey while I stayed home with Captain. After, I got a pedicure with a friend before book club. On Sunday, Little Miss had her swimming lesson. It's always great to hang out with friends. Plus, I can't remember the last time I had a pedicure so that was heavenly. 

The third week of March, we hung out with Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law. It was the beginning of Spring Break. We had corned beef and cabbage. The kids played. It was relaxing, and we got home at a decent hour. It's so nice to see the cousins growing up together and playing well with each other. 

On Monday, Husband brought Little Miss to NYC to watch the Rangers play during her Spring Break. Captain and I stayed home together, and we traded selfies.

Mother & Captain play while @Rob_Sawicki & Little Miss root on the @NYRangers at #MSG. #springbreak

A photo posted by @princessapr on Mar 21, 2016 at 5:20pm PDT

The last weekend was Easter. We saw Zootopia on Saturday and went to Sister's house for Easter brunch. We had a ton of Korean food which was delicious. The kids had Easter Egg hunts. Captain missed his naps so he was super cranky, but he loved finding eggs and playing with the dog. He peed right through his little outfit right after we got there, but that's life with a toddler for you.

Easter kids. #Easter (@Rob_Sawicki)u

A photo posted by @princessapr on Mar 27, 2016 at 8:46am PDT

November 2015 Weekend Update

The first Sunday in November was spent at a first birthday party! They're always fun. Captain even managed to nap there. Little Miss loved being the oldest one there. After Little Miss was going to have a sleepover with her cousins. We stayed at the birthday party a little longer. Husband, Captain, and I had dinner in the city before heading home. Little Miss called on our way home and said she did not want to have a sleepover so we swung by and picked her up.

It's your day, Birthday Girl!

A photo posted by @princessapr on Nov 7, 2015 at 11:20am PST

The next day, Husband's family watched the Jets game and ate way too much food. All the kids had a really great time together. The younger ones are not too happy with being younger and not allowed to do what the big kids get to do. Captain spent the entire day eating. And then he ate some more. It was a good napping weekend for him. He did a great job napping in other people's cribs. Usually, on the weekend, he does his best to avoid naps.

It's hard being the younger siblings.

A photo posted by @princessapr on Nov 8, 2015 at 11:05am PST

The second weekend of November, Husband and I belatedly celebrated our anniversary. We went to Clyde's and to a basketball game (Wizards/Magic). It was a fun, relaxing night out. The Wizards won - though we weren't very invested in the game. It was nice to get out and have some couple time. The kids slept over the In-Laws' apartment so we also got to sleep late which was as nice as you'd think. The next day, we did Christmas photos with the cousins. We got one really good one, and we only marginally held onto our sanity.

Basketball. (@Rob_Sawicki)

A photo posted by @princessapr on Nov 14, 2015 at 5:23pm PST

The third weekend of November, we finished cleaning our apartment for Thanksgiving. I can't say we ever really finished, but it's better than it was. I bagged toys and clothes for donation. Things were really tidied up - except our bedroom, but no one really goes in there anyway. That Sunday, my sister and I had photos with the other side of the family. I mixed up the times, but the photo studio was so backed up, no one noticed. My parents met us for lunch, and then we head home to call another weekend to an end.

Just hanging out. (@Rob_Sawicki)

A photo posted by @princessapr on Nov 15, 2015 at 11:55am PST

Thanksgiving week was a lot of fun. The night before, I got a massage when my office closed early. Captain had his 18 month well child visit. He weighs 21.5 pounds, finally weighing over 20 pounds! He's pretty healthy and doing well. He got his flu shot. He still doesn't say many words, but this was typical of Little Miss, too. He makes sounds and says Mama, Dada, Baba when he wants his cup. He's been known to say Little Miss's name. He also says ball, doggie, girl, tree, and other words. I think he said cookie recently. He's a big fan of cookies.

Gingerbread turkey. More work than it was worth. #happythanksgiving

A photo posted by @princessapr on Nov 26, 2015 at 3:44pm PST

On Thanksgiving, we got up and stayed in our jammies for awhile. We watched the parade. Husband made the turkey and prepped the stuffing. Once those were done, I made roasted veggies (butternut squash, potatoes, brussels sprouts, and red onion). It was a simple meal, but it was pretty good. We had cookies for dessert. My parents enjoyed hanging out with the kids. Captain ate early and then napped when we ate which worked out best. During the weekend, we did as little as possible. I took Little Miss skating. Then, Little Miss and I went to see a movie the next day. My friend and I went to see another movie on Sunday. It was a social time, but I managed to avoid many of the Black Friday sales which is a high accomplishment for me! Onto Christmas!!

Skating (@Rob_Sawicki)

A video posted by @princessapr on Nov 27, 2015 at 11:39am PST

March 2015 Weekend Update

This month, Little Miss started Learn to Hockey Skate.  She has taken a year off of skating so we were a little worried.  Husband took her to Free Skate during a snow day - and it was a good thing.  She still needs to gain her confidence back, but she's on par with half the class.  The other half is really ridiculously good.  The first weekend of the month, we also had dinner with the In-Laws for their birthday.

 The babies are ridiculously cute - as are all the older cousins.  Baby doesn't sleep when he is outside of his bed or car so he stayed awake the entire evening entertaining everyone.  He gets slightly fussy, but it's not too bad.  He did some pretty good sleeping when we got home.

 The next morning, Little Miss and I went and met Brother-in-Law and Nephew at the trampoline park.  Little Miss jumped like crazy and had a great time with her older cousin.

The second weekend in March, I went to some of the hockey lesson before leaving to meet a friend at the mall where we had lunch before a movie.  It was a really fun afternoon.  After, we walked around the mall where I snagged a pair of cheap pants for Baby at Baby Gap.  He has a handful of clothes but mostly tops and not a lot in this odd 9 month size.  We did practically nothing on that following Sunday, but the weather was horrible so it was a good day to stay inside.

The third weekend in March, we did hockey and then I went to a pot luck with friends (see earlier post in the month).  I went to bed early that night.  On Sunday, the kids and I went to hang with my mother and had a brief cameo by Sister and Future-Brother-in-Law.  We had lunch and hung out and then went to Old Navy for a bathing suit for Little Miss.  We made a brief stop at the mall so Mom could buy me these jeans.  She was obsessed with these size 0 jeggings for less than $3.  She figured I was the only one who could wear them so I must have them.  

The last weekend of March, we went to hockey.  Then, Little Miss and I met up with Sister and Nephew for a movie.  After, Little Miss went to a sleepover with the Inlaws and the other nephew.  Poor girl got sick in the middle of the night, but she recovered by Sunday evening.  Meanwhile, Husband and I used up some anniversary gift cards and got some take out.  I hit up Trader Joe's for some treats (not really treats, but I don't make the visit often so I like to stock up on things I can't find anywhere else when I go).  Also, I was introduced to cookie butter.  O.M.G.  On Sunday, Husband went to hang out with a friend while I held down the fort at home.  I mostly kept the baby fed while Little Miss slept off her bug and I binge watched Season 2 of Hannibal.  Baby also was a firework of bodily functions so that was exciting. 

Weekend Update - Everything is (Not) Awesome

I had grand plans to start cleaning this weekend.  My "official" cleaning schedule hadn't started yet, but I had no plans so I thought I would get a little out of the way.  I did not.  I did nothing.  And it was glorious.  Little Miss woke us up early in the morning sick to her stomach in bed, but she was a champ.  We all kind of just sat on the couch all day.  In the afternoon, I dragged myself out to go grocery shopping before dropping Husband off to play poker.  Little Miss was starting to feel better so I took her out of the house for some fresh air.  Unfortunately, because she was sick, Little Miss missed out on her last week of ice skating lessons and a playdate and sleepover with her cousin.  

On Sunday, to make up for the missed sleepover, we met Sister-in-Law and Nephew at the movies.  Little Miss loved The Lego Movie.  It perked her up, and the weather was beautiful.  It was a good afternoon.  In the evening, Husband went to a friend's house so it was just the two of us.  All in all, a good lazy weekend.

Weekend Update - Long Weekend

Thanksgiving went well.  The day after Thanksgiving, we traditionally get out tree.  Husband had to do some work, and then I wasn't feeling well so we did nothing. 

Saturday morning, we did get our tree - quickly in the next town over versus traveling an hour away to cut our own.  Last year, we had such a great tree.  From the way this current tree is drinking water, we may have great luck again.  After we got the tree, Little Miss and I met a friend for lunch and a movie.  Little Miss loves going out with the girls so it was fun.  Then, we went home for dinner and a quiet evening.

On Sunday, we did some tidying up and then went to a party at a friend's house to celebrate Hanukkah.  Little Miss has been obsessed with Hanukkah since last year.  She played games, received presents and got to light the menorah.  She asked for a menorah, but it was a little too late on the fifth night.  I told her she could have one next year if she wanted.  We got home after bedtime, but she was good about going right to bed.  We were pretty sure Monday was going to be a rude awakening after such a long weekend.

Weekend Update - Crankypants

On Friday, we had a quiet night in.  Well, quiet after Little Miss got booted to bed.  She had been very tired all week, and the week culminated in a giant meltdown. 

On Saturday, she asked Husband to get up with her and proceeded to talk to him for 2 hours straight.  I slept in a little and then got up to meet a friend at the movies.  Because she was running late, I also had time to vote early for the election this year.  That was pretty awesome to get that out of the way with no line. 
After, Husband, Little Miss and I went to my sister's place.  Little Miss and Nephew had a blast together.  He got a new loft-style bed and was eager to show that off.  Little Miss loved it (briefly until she was stuck at the top and was a little too scared to come down and needed her daddy).  My parents and my sister's boyfriend arrived later.  We had some Chinese delivery and chatted.  Little Miss opened a birthday present from my parents and played some video games.  We left very late, but it was a good night.

On Sunday, I expected a meltdown.  Little Miss went to bed very late the night before and didn't really sleep in, but I promised her she could come out with me.  So, we went to an early lunch for book club.  It was dim sum and Little Miss doesn't eat Chinese food so she patiently sat there while we ate.  Then, we went to Target so she could spend her $10, and we could pick up various other items.  After, it was late, and Little Miss really wanted breakfast for lunch so we hit IHOP.  She was the most excellent girl all day.  When we got home, it was probably around 3:30.  We made 2 batches of cookie dough and then I carved Snow White and her apple out of a pumpkin and made dinner.  I did bath time and then Husband helped with the bedtime routine before I rolled and baked way too many cookies.  They were pretty darned photogenic though - and tasty.  Surprisingly, Little Miss was fantastic on Sunday with little sleep.  I, on the other hand, missed my weekend naps.  A lot.  In my defense, my crankypants are super comfortable.
 

Weekend Update - Rounding out August

The second to last weekend in August was really fun.  We had a mentor for the elementary school who had some neighbors who also had children entering kindergarten.  The four families got together for a playdate.  The boys and girls stayed pretty separated.  The girls didn't even play until the very end of the playdate.  During the playdate, we discovered that there was a school-wide playdate for existing families (and new families if they found out somehow).  So, Little Miss and I grabbed some lunch and then went back to the playground.  She played very closely with the little girl from the morning and met some new friends.  It was exhausting for all of us!

On Sunday, I met with my friends for pedicures, lunch and a movie.  It was a lot of fun.  Girl time is always very important and relaxing.  My pedicure lasted a long time, too.  I just recently took it off to repolish.

It was a short week as we went on vacation!

Weekend Update - Summertime!

Last weekend, I got soaking wet walking home from work. It took my shoes 2 days to dry out. 

Saturday, we were given a beautiful day though. Little Miss and I went out to my parents' pool to celebrate my dad's birthday and Father's Day - both a little belated. We played at the pool with my parents, Sister and Nephew. We had lunch and snacks. Then, we went back to the house for dinner. We all ate ourselves silly and had cake as more of a symbolic gesture than anything else, but it's not a birthday without cake!

On Sunday, I met a friend in Bethesda for lunch and a movie. It was a really good day even if my GPS took me the scenic route home. The company and the movie were great. Husband golfed most of the weekend. It led into a quiet evening which was a great way to cap off the weekend.

Weekend Update - The End of an Era

Last Friday, I took some vacation time to see Little Miss in her preschool finale. The kids did a fantastic job. It really was a fantastic class - small and really close-knit. She made her first really good friends. The kids received a certificate.

 

You can see Little Miss was very proud of her certificate. After the show, there was a little reception - lots of sugar and presents. After, Little Miss was invited to spend the afternoon with her good friend while Husband and I returned to work. Little Miss painted pottery and then went to lunch and was dropped off at the Inlaws' apartment. I worked and then Friday night, I met friends, Sister and Sister-in-Law for some drinks, food and a movie to celebrate my birthday a little early. It was a lot of fun! On Saturday, Little Miss had swim class. Then, there was lunch and bath before we got family pictures taken. They came out really nice. We were pleased - even though Husband almost had a heart attack dealing with the traffic and mall stress. After Little Miss got to enjoy herself at the fair for about an hour. Then, Husband had plans to meet friends for some golf and dropped off Little Miss and me at my parents' house for dinner. Mom and Dad drove us home, and we were all sleeping before Husband came home (though he did say I had a conversation with him).

On Sunday, we had a quiet day recovering from our busy Saturday. Little Miss and I woke up early and had some breakfast and played some board games. Then, we had brunch and a nap. The nap was my favorite part. In the afternoon, a family from Little Miss's preschool hosted a really lovely bbq. The kids had a blast, and it was a nice end-of-year event before the kids all went separate ways. Some will at least be in town, but a couple of the kids are moving out of the country. It was a long weekend, but it was full of fun which is the best kind of weekend!

Sexy Friday

Robert Downey Jr. gets better with age. Seriously, who knew he'd still be around this long? I mean, there was no question he could act, but his career had a little quiet spot right there in the middle, and now he's a superhero! He's always guaranteed to make me laugh as Tony Stark even if I'm not a huge fan of the franchise. I told Husband that Tony Stark was a rich, egotistical, pompous dick and that he reminded me of him except he wasn't rich. He looked a little offended. *g*

Sexy Friday

I can't admit honestly that I'm a huge fan of Zac Efron. That said, I'll admit that I no longer see him as a kid. I don't see him quite as an adult though. One of my many issues with The Lucky One is that I kept viewing him as a kid mixed in with all the adults. Still, if I was a little younger, I'd find him completely dreamy.

Weekend Update - Cleaning House

It was a nice weekend. On Friday, we caught up on some television on the DVR. On Saturday, soccer was cancelled because the storms needed to recover after the storms through the night. So, I slept late and hoped Little Miss didn't burn the house down. She didn't. In the afternoon, we walked to Clarendon for Little Miss's school fair. She had fun. We then had a mother-daughter lunch at The Silver Diner. Then, we hit the library and walked back home. I took a nap later that evening, and it was glorious. Then, I rented a movie and went back to bed. 

On Sunday, it was my goal to clean house. I admit that I wanted to do it before last Sunday, but we're down to the wire before Little Miss's birthday party. So, Sunday, I slept a little late, but then I set to work. I started in our walk-in closet and just started tossing. I played my iPod and just got down to work. Husband came in to tell me that Little Miss took a CD out and put it in her CD player and actually cleaned her room. I guess it does help to lead by example! I cleaned our entire bedroom not including Husband's stuff. Tomorrow, I plan on doing the kitchen and the odds and ends that I've been collecting from the other rooms. I'm on good pace to leave cooking and goody bag assembly for Friday evening. Then, Saturday is the controlled chaos called a 5th birthday.

Weekend Update - Bruuuuuuuuuce!

Last Friday, I took some vacation hours and met Husband's friend. Then, the two of us drove into the city to meet up with Husband. The three of us had a couple of beverages and dinner. Then, we went to Nats Park to see Bruce Springsteen. You can a summary of the concert here. It was a great show. We've never seen him before. As a passable fan, I enjoyed myself a lot. As a huge fan, Husband was in heaven. Stay tuned for next week's update because we're seeing him again next Saturday. The set list is below:

1. Prove it All Night (with 1978 intro)
2. My Love Will Not Let You Down
3 .The Ties That Bind
4. Hungry Heart
5. We Take Care Of Our Own
6. Wrecking Ball
7. Death To My Hometown
8. My City Of Ruins
9. Spirit In The Night
10. Blinded By The Light (tour premiere)
11. Jack Of All Trades
12. Jackson Cage
13. Shes The One
14. Johnny 99
15. Darlington County
16. Shackled and Drawn
17. Waitin' On a Sunny Day
18. The Promised Land
19 .Racing In The Street
20. The Rising
21. Badlands
22. Land of Hope and Dreams
End main set Encores:
23. We Are Alive
24. Thunder Road
25. Born to Run
26. Detroit Medley
27. Dancing in the Dark
28. Tenth Avenue Freeze-out
29. American Land (with guest Ali Weinberg - Max's daughter - on accordion)
30. Twist and Shout

Photo credit:  Catherine Andrews @candrews via TwitterFans fill the field at Nationals Park in Washington, DC Friday night for the Bruce Springsteen concert. 
 
Little Miss spent the evening with the In-Laws. She loved every minute. When she came home on Saturday, Husband went to a friend's house to watch college football. Little Miss and I went to pick up cleats for soccer (along with a pair of sparkly pink shoes). We had some dinner and cuddled on the couch to watch Finding Nemo. The little one was tuckered out from her sleepover the night before and fell asleep cuddling. It was super sweet, only slightly dampened (literally) by her cuddle sweat. 

 On Sunday, we had a nice family breakfast. Husband's friend came over to watch football while Little Miss and I went to the theater to see Finding Nemo in 3D. We watched it the day before so she could be prepared. The shark (Bruce) scared her in the trailer, but he's friendly more or less so watching it twice helped a lot. After, we ran some errands and then went to Sister's house to have dinner with her, Nephew and my parents. It was a good afternoon. None of us were ready to greet another Monday though.

Sexy Friday

I know Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an unconventional choice. I think he's very talented though. I really thought he was great in 50/50, but I'll admit that he kind of hooked me in 10 Things I Hate About You. You know, when I wasn't drooling over Heath Ledger. I love that he chooses varied projects in which to act and always keeps me wondering where he'll pop up next.

Sexy Friday

I mean, come on. Christian Bale. Who else can play Laurie and Batman? Not to mention Patrick Bateman who was a completely different animal. Also, I liked the fact that he had no problem with nudity during a lot of his career.  He may be a little too intense for me in real life, but on some days, I'm willing to give it a shot if he is.

Sexy Friday

Joe Manganiello totally deserves this. I think the whole Sexy Friday should be just because he exists. He's a bit too tall for me (but almost like 2 feet), but I'd have fun climbing up him, I think. Between his growling on True Blood and his turn in Magic Mike, he's pretty much been responsible for getting me through summer.

Sexy Friday

Three for the price of one today with the cast of The Hunger Games. Don't tell Husband, but I may have bought the DVD for myself a month or two ago even after seeing it in the theater twice. Regardless, I've had a soft spot for Josh Hutcherson since Bridge to Terabithia. Man, that movies destroys me although not as much as the book did as a child.

   

Of course, joining him are Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth. I haven't seen either in too many projects. Truthfully, I'm more into Chris Hemsworth than his brother, but it could be the Miley thing influencing my feelings.

Sexy Friday

I recently saw Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield in Spiderman and was surprised neither was Sexy Friday recipients before. So, here is their day in the sun.

I actually do like both actors a lot. Emma Stone in Friends with Benefits is practically my favorite part. I haven't seen Andrew Garfield in a ton, but I liked him in The Social Network and Doctor Who.

Weekend Update - Running Around Town

Last weekend, it was a little nutty.  On Friday, we pretty much just crashed.  On Saturday, we had a quiet night.  Little Miss and I played many, many (many, many) games of Chutes and Ladders (or Ladders and Slides as she calls it).  We went grocery shopping.  Then, we took a glorious nap.  After, I met a friend for dinner and a movie.

On Sunday, I dragged myself out of bed after getting home at 2AM.  I discovered I'm way too old to stay out that late though I did well enough thanks to my nap the day before.  Husband went to watch some golf with friends while Little Miss and I decided to bake.  So, we went to the grocery store again at which point I realized that I left my credit card at the restaurant the night before.  I called the restaurant which confirmed it was safe and sound there.  We then fought mall traffic to find a place to park, snagged my credit card and then rewarded ourselves with some frozen yogurt.  We wrapped up the evening baking and then having dinner and bedtime.  It was a good low-key weekend.