windmill

My mom is the second youngest of seven kids (Irish Catholic). She tells a lot of funny stories about growing up and it seems she has a silly name or story about nearly everything. We have a name for the space between two couch cushions (or between a bed and a wall or headboard), the paplukie hole (also see kerplukie hole as my cousins pronounce it); I have the privilege of knowing what a 'watch bird' is; and I know never to 'Jean the bowl' when baking. But most of all, I have a name for the tall glass of cold water that you crave the morning after staying up a bit too late and possibly drinking a bit too much.

That's right, it's a 'windmill'.

Apparently when you are the second youngest in a family of seven, it means that you are the willing slave to the eldest. So my mom's oldest brother, who was in high school at the time, would ask his elementary school aged sister to bring him a windmill on weekend mornings. Just for reference, my mom also calls a glass of ice water CIWITW - coldest ice water in the world.

B3

My sister and I got my dad a beta fish for fathers day and gave it to him on Saturday. It was a great gift because a few years ago my dad had a beta fish that he referred to as our "little brother" and he brought with him in the cup holder of his car when he came to visit us. Even though it was less than ten years ago, he didn't remember doing that when we told him the story. Never the less, we remembered his silliness and wanted him to enjoy fish ownership again.

So I went to visit my parents on Sunday afternoon and my dad preceded to show me B3's new trick - grabbing the tip of a chopstick. He went on a on about how he was going to have to figure out either a)how to bring him to England in July or b)fish sitter accommodations. I informed him that I had a beta that stayed alive for 2 months even though I ignored it and that he would be fine for 10 days. Never the less, if you know a good fish sitter, my parents are looking for one.

being an auntie

333 days until 30 and today I became an auntie again! I have a brand new nephew, so new in fact, that I don't even know his name yet. His mother is my sister by choice, we are not blood related, but as far as I am concerned, you may choose who you call family. And if given a million choices, I would still only need one as far as she is concerned, she is my sister, her husband is my brother, and their son is my nephew!

Being an auntie is my favorite job I have ever had. Rowan, my 5 year old nephew, will tell you that I am the best Auntie Lizzy ever! So when Erin told me that they were expecting a boy, I was over the moon! I mean, I have experience being an auntie to a nephew. It's like getting a promotion at work, where they only make you do the things you are already good at! Not that I don't think I wouldn't make an amazing auntie to a niece, I will, but there is just something so wonderful about having a nephew! And now I have two!!!

"don't get old"

I started swimming laps more regularly to add some cross training to my marathon training schedule. Yesterday I went to swim some laps before teaching lessons and the 19 year old lifeguard, a friend of mine, asked why I would need to swim laps since I am already so tiny. I replied "I'm tiny because I swim and run, don't get old."

A friend my age, Emily, mentioned that she had been going to morning swim at another pool, so this morning I headed there to punish myself a little more. We were talking with another 19 year old that was there swimming about having to work out more, needing surgeries for old athletic injuries, and the like. Her advice to this young swimmer was also "don't get old."

It's absolutely impractical advice when you think about it. You don't have a choice, as time passes - you get older. I think what both Emily and I meant by "don't get old" was "make sure you take care of yourself, your body treats you the way you treat it, as you get older."

But it's a lot funnier to just tell people "don't get old."

how to go on vaction in your own town

I think it's important to like where you live. I certainly do. In fact, my style blog is named after Reston - Reston Style. Reston isn't a city or even a town. It's a place, a place called Reston. And I went on a staycation in Reston with my very dear friends over memorial day weekend. Here's how we did it:

post-its

I love post-it notes. My favorites the super sticky square ones with lines. Everyday at work I make a little check list of all the things I have to do that day using an ultra-fine sharpie and a super sticky post-it.

I loved post-it notes so much as a kid that I begged for (and got) Doctor Barbie just because she came with a pad of mini post-it notes!

It's not just sharpies and post-its though. I have a deep affection for all things school/office supply related! I love little notebooks, stationary (though I don't write many letters anymore), stickers (did I mention I am 29 going on 8?), and I keep a paper calendar that update with colourful papermate flare pens - they write like ultra fine sharpies without bleeding through!

Here's the proof:

solar powered

I am fairly certain that I am solar powered. I spent the entire Memorial Day Weekend outdoors doing active things and I feel extremely rested. This seems to happen every summer.

The only conclusion that I can come up with is that I am kindred with Superman and that Earth's yellow sun give me super energy in the summer.