halloween lovin' granola girl

So yesterday I went to the national arboretum....

And the granola girl in me near went insane.

(This is a big deal. Normally she's rather reserved. Something about abhorring sweat and bugs??)

YOU GUYS. 

It was so unbelievably beautiful!

And there was this precious garden that had the most aesthetically pleasing arrangements and colors....

I just had to take a million pictures.

Sorry about the following onslaught, 

but humor me and appreciate this gem of wilderness in the middle of our nation's capitol.

In other news, I am so freaking excited for Halloween I can't even stand it. 

I'm not even going to lie and tell you I haven't been listening to Thriller at least 4 or 5 times a day.

Because I totally have.

Here's the thing about that song. 

It was the first music video I ever saw. 

Fall/Halloween is kind of a big deal at my house, and at the impressionable age of 9, that song has since immortalizes a lot of my halloween-ish memories.

And let's not forget that my birthday is the day after halloween, which is awesome too.

So basically I'm spending the next few weeks getting pumped for the month of October by listening to Thriller because it's about the only Halloween song out there other than Monster Mash.

And who's trying to listen to Monster Mash more than once a year, amiright?

hot or knot?

What up bun head?

So I have this thing with pulling my hair up.

I did it every day, all summer log.
And thanks to some very warm days and long walks to work, I still can't kick the habit.

I just can't handle my fine tresses all over my neck in muggy DC weather! 
*Wimpy alert!*

Poor husband has to REQUEST for my hair to be let down these days. And when I do, it's the grandest event.
(Secretly I LOVE going a long time between "down hair" days. 
Christian is way more obsessed with me when I don't look like a 
librarian!!)

So when life presents you with the question 
"Hot? Or knot?"
What do you do?
Am I the only woman destined to look like a secretary for the rest of my days?
Or am I on the fast track to a short hair cut, because I'm simply can't take this any more? 

Oh, to have these 1st world problems!

killers and cupcakes

Yesterday on the way home from church,

Christian and I got chatty with a..... shall we say..... nice looking man on the bus.

Here are a few snippets of our conversation, courtesy of said man. 

They were just too good not to share:

"I need two hip replacements!"

*looks at Christian*

"Boy, you've got excellent taste!"

(I don't think Christian appreciated that one much...)

"...because sometimes you just need to touch a woman, you know?

*looks at me*

It's a guy thing"

"Where have I been the last ten years? The hills of Virginia!

IN PRISON!"

"It was all self defense, let me tell you."

So basically we met a murderer yesterday. 

No big deal. 

And based on his demeanor, he didn't think it was either. 

Way to go pal.

Also on Saturday we went to the National Geographic Museum for the 1001 Inventions Festival, celebrating Middle Eastern inventions and their contribution to society. 

1 dance concert, a neat-o art exhibit and some delicious falafel later, we were happy campers.

Then we got stuck in the rainstorm of the century

TOTAL BUZZ KILL.

Thankfully we had some free cupcakes to brighten the mood. 

Sprinkle's knows what's up.

Also, I don't know why food determines my happiness level so often, 

(actually I do. It's called being a woman)

but I hope Christian reads this so the next time I have a complete meltdown he knows what to do.

(Hint: It starts with "coconut lemon" and ends with "cupcake".

You're welcome lover)

thankfuls

The last few days have been slightly rough ones 

(read: I've had PMS on steroids. Love that)

So true to form, here are some thankfuls.

Because if I didn't focus on the things I have to be happy about, I might just collapse face first into a

bowl of ice cream as a sobbing, inconsolable mess. 

But anyways.

Today I'm thankful for:

- The temple. 

Beautiful in EVERY possible way!

- Cooler weather. Yesterday morning was pleasant and instead of dripping with sweat by the time i got to work, I was only slightly damp! It was refreshing!

- I'm thankful for the fact that I DON'T 

and will not EVER 

own a greyhound. I'm sorry but....... 

Gagdoublegag.

- I'm thankful for the laugh that these Trader Joes wasabi peas gave me. 

Even though they are disgusting and burned off my nose hairs.

- Im thankful for a short week! 

Today is Saturday already!

- The little munchkin yelling from her bed "heee buuukk" (hey Brooke) so that I can retrieve her from her crib. 

Precious and hilarious.

- Date nights.

We the Pizza totally rocked our socks off last night.

As did our night time stroll around the monuments.

Such the dramatic water drinker!

Sorry for looking like a dementor in this picture.

Isn't it nice how being thankful can make the whole world seem better?

I'm so thankful for that!

saturday is a special day

Come to think of it, so is Friday.

Basically the whole weekend.

Especially.... 3 day weekends!!!!!

Eeep for Labor Day!

So let me tell you about yesterday.

It started S-L-O-W. Here's the thing. I'm the queen.... 

no more like Empress.... 

of getting out of bed slowly, most especially on days without an agenda. 

I mean what's the point of waking up early right?

Anyways, when noon rolled around and we were finally ready to go, we heading over to Eastern Market for the weekly farmer's market. And let me just tell you a few things:

1. I never understood people's love for farmer's markets until yesterday.
Basically I was freaking out over all the cool stuff.

(Okay mostly just the fruit samples and the jewlery. But still. Next weekend we are going armed with a lot more money, let me tell you! Also we bought these white nectarines that are TODIEFOR)

2. Also. There was a rainstorm building all day long, PLUS it was pushing 95 degrees. 

So you can imagine the unbelievably heat and humidity.

I'm pretty sure I was sweating more than I was breathing.

So after exploring, Christian and I headed North in search of the apparently famous "Fast Gourmet" restaurant, where the sell Chivitos... a Uruguayan sandwich that he fell in love with on his mission.

a man with his prize.

Second to me of course.

AND LET ME TELL YOU. 

That sandwich was so divine, I would be willing to trek back through that sketchy part of town any day.

And actually it wasn't even THAT sketchy, so win win!

Afterwards we went to Target, which is always an interesting experience here.

But fun nonetheless!

And just a rewind to what we did on Friday night:

Trip to the Shake Shack with friends Sara and Keaton, and then a little free concert at the Kennedy Center, which we saw approximately 1/30th of before it ended. 

Who performs for only 45 minutes? 

That's what I want to know.
The rest of our evening ended up being pretty boring, mostly because I was exhausted and had lost my
"going out vigor", if you will. What can you do?

And now, hopefully the weather will comply tomorrow so we can have an awesome Labor Day!
Hope you have a wonderful holiday (and day off work!!) as well!