Old favorites

As the weather warms, Premal and I have resumed our habit of walking together. We'll return from our offices just as the sun starts to look a bit lazy in the early evening sky and set off for nowhere in particular. We take these treks often, so often that the scenery holds few surprises. Still, tired surprises soon become old favorites. Favorite doors, and yards, and roofs. We watch familiar gardens grow and flourish, and die and wait. Now they're back at it. Same as ever. Ever lovely, ever there. But now we are leaving, and this little neighborhood will continue its cycle without us. And I realize that even neighborhoods don't really stay the same. You see, we're headed back to another place where I once took frequent walks to nowhere in particular. We're going home. But there, things there have changed. Friends have left, and angular condos now fill holes where once familiar fields and houses stood. It's fine, and certainly "good for the neighborhood," but it's very different. So, in these last four weeks that we have here in this city that has treated me so very well for the past ten years, I'm looking around at these old favorites extra hard. Filing away their magic and the comfort they bring me. Because who knows, perhaps we'll be back someday, years and years from now. We will  change, and likely the neighborhood will too. Hopefully for the best, but surely it will be very, very  different.

To buy or not to buy? Renting, buying and other real esate questions

As we assemble all of the lovely things we've collected into a cohesive space, it makes a little flat feel a lot like ahome. Flowers on our coffee table; the poles from our chuppah which we're going to making into a bed; a piece of art we bought here along with a second hand directors chair I got here; our favorite craigslist find.

For some time, I have wanted to buy a house. At times, the urge has felt rather desperate. I have seen properties all over the area. We put in an bid earlier this year, only to be beat out by an all cash offer that was more than 100k over the asking price. For a while now, I've had a not so secret crush on a house that I know is a hot mess. It's old and very run down. And while Kimber's home is beautiful, her adventures in home renovation have left me wary of moving anywhere that has more than cosmetic challenges.

But while I continue to search, I actually kind of love mine and Yoni's little house... and by house, I mean apartment. There's gobs of light, lots of storage space and just enough room that me and Yoni don't get in one another's way. It's kind of nice that if there's a problem, I can call the landlord. Since we travel a lot, it's good to know there's someone other than me who has a vested interest in keeping my place safe. And while it's somewhat painful to think of the money we could be investing in a mortgage instead of rent, not owning has seriously simplified my life.

I have a feeling that if Yoni and I want to buy in this market, we have to move before the year's end. Prices have been on a steady march up and soon, we'll be priced out altogether. But for now, I'm pretty happy with apartment life.

Speaking of simple... Try this.

1 cup plain yogurt (I like it with at least 1 to 2% milk fat

Goat yogurt is my favorite right now, but use what you like)

1/2 cup blueberries

1/4 cup hazelnuts, roasted and crushed

1/4 cup rolled oats

1 tsbp pure maple syrup

Try these out too: strawberries, almonds, puffed rice and honey; cashews, coconut, quinoa and agave; pistachios, bananas, macadamia nuts and kashi; raspberries, lemon curd, almonds and oats.  

PS.

I've been in a hole, so when I wrote this initially, I hadn't realized the extent of the damage done by the tornados in Oklahoma. You can help. Click here to donate to the Red Cross. Many churches have some sort of humanitarian aid fund. If you would like, you can ask that your contribution sunday be directed to those hit by the storm. Whatever you can or can't give, we hope our brothers and sisters in Oklahoma know our thoughts and prayers are with them. Home can be in a shelter, in a cellar or a tent, so long as love is there. <3

Black & White & New York City

Have you ever looked at the ceiling of Grand Central Station? It's a star-speckled allegory of manufactured constellations, told in teal and daffodil. It's simple and it's glorious. I'd only just noticed it.

I've never been particularly taken by New York. The city is hectic and loud and pushy -- all things that I prefer not to be. The western interior (more specifically, Denver) has my heart in its courteous, outdoorsy grip -- it won me with its sunshiny dog parks and drivers who only honk in order to prevent an imminent accident. As far as I've always been concerned, NYC could keep its sounds and pretzels and grime and 8 million stories.

But the last time I visited the Big Apple, I found myself gawking around the streets like a ruddy cheeked tourist, awed and enthralled by the diversity and ingenuity omnipresent in the parts which construct it. Even the grimy underbits of the city were filled with lovely little embellishments to "jeepers! do you see that?!" over. It's a city filled with touches -- some premeditated, some serendipitous. 

And it's not just the architecture -- it's the people. Like two shirtless strangers on a park bench in Brooklyn, who both just happened to be named Joe.

I can't say I'm in love with New York, but I respect it more than I used to. I've come to appreciate some of what millions of others have seen in it over the years. It's a city with layers -- with history. It's served as the stage and set pieces to countless little human triumphs and tragedies, and you can see that in the bricks and chrome which compose its oft related streets. I suppose I'm excited to go back.

Bro time

^^^sushi?^^

I love spending time with my brothers. In many ways, "guy time" is my natural habitat. Growing up I was much more likely to be found throwing dirt clots, fighting with sticks, or catching a veritable menagerie of creepy-crawly things than playing with dolls. I wanted to be a webelo, and could tie a bowline faster than all the boys.

And unlike poor Anybodys (the tomboy who desperately wanted to belong) from West Side Story, my brothers never told me to scram. If I was too small to scramble up whatever rock-face we planned to summit that day, Corban was always there to offer a boost and Levi would catch my arms and pull me to safety. 

Well, it seems I'm still at it. I spent Saturday with Shiloh, Levi and Corban and some of our friends fishing. We told bawdy jokes, performed immature pranks, talked about the future, and enjoyed each others company (oh, and caught some huge fish too). Afterward we all headed to Levi's house to cook the day's catch. As we grow, and marry, and move, and do all these adult world things, it's nice to see that things don't really change, they just evolve.

^^^look at those cute ol' brothers!^^^

^^^sometimes it takes a village to catch a fish. thanks for the help Carter!^^^

In other news... I got a pretty drastic haircut (like 16 inches whacked off). I felt ridiculous devoting an entire post to it, but there's a picture after the jump for any interested parties...

Tres on Cinco

It's been a rather chilly spring in Washington. I prefer it to the alternative -- a week or two of spring followed by an early hot and humid summer. We've had lots of celebrating to do. David's birthday is in April. Willa's is right afterward. But Phin takes birthdays to a new level. I don''t know if I have ever seen a little boy so happy.

Phin, showing off his first baby picture.

It was the inaugural fete at Kimber's house. We ate too much. We laughed too much. The kids continue to grow too much. But right now, it seemed like perfection. And Phin couldn't have been a more entertaining birthday boy.

Thanks to Libby for the AMAZING cake. Maybe she'll share some of the recipes. She also took many of the pictures.

The best ever quotes about motherhood

Our cousin Chelsea recently returned to D.C. after working abroad for several years. We're so glad she's back -- we love her adorably bilingual kids, her sassy Scandinavian-flavored fashion sense, and her knack for one-of-a-kind party games that are fun and help you feel smart, (among other attributes, of course).

Last night at Mimo's house, Chelsea busted out this little play on delightful quotes about motherhood. It was so perfect, I had to share -- you can pin it for next year, or your mom's birthday, or that day next week when your kids have colored on the walls and on the sofa and on each other with a turquoise Sharpie and you're wondering why you even bother. I promise it will make you smile....