My Neighborhood

I bought this house thinking into the future. I don't do that much anymore--that is, now I try to live more presently. Truthfully, many times in the past few years I wondered why I was living in a house in a family neighborhood in DC when I really wanted to be living in a hip NYC apartment, hanging out in clubs and lounges and dating hot models. (Ha! Reality check: you are a 40-something Kindergarten teacher about to become a mom.. get a grip). Honestly, I do dream about that at times but now that Almaz is coming home I am back to appreciating where I live!

I was driving home the other day with my camera (which stays with me since I am involved in Project 365) and realized once again all the great things that are all within 6 blocks from my house.

There's the beautiful neighborhood public library:

The nice community center with a workout room and indoor pool:

Outdoor tennis courts:

A dance studio:
Also, a good vegetarian/vegan/raw foods restaurant, a Jamaican restaurant with the best peach pie ever and I just discovered a brand new Spanish immersion day care center with space! I also have a pretty decent-sized yard and friendly neighbors!

If I venture 2 miles, I have a really nice park with toddler play equipment:

and many restaurants, including several Ethiopian ones, and this great coffee shop:

Yeah, I will always have a love affair with New York City but this is a pretty good set up if you ask me! This will be a great place to raise my daughter.

Yard Sale #3

I had my third and final (?) yard sale today. I got a TON of donations and the forecast was for 70 degrees and sunny so I was pretty confident it would be a success. I had planned on doing it alone like last time but somewhere along the way I realized that was not going to be possible. For example, who would watch the things out to the front yard as I went back and forth into the house to set up? And what if I had to take a bathroom break? What then?

At the eleventh hour I sent out a desperate email begging and pleading for assistance and so many people came through for me. It was all seeming to come together. Sun, lots of help and lots of donations. I was ready.

I woke up bright and early this morning to go out and hang signs. I checked the weather one more time before heading out the door. 70 degrees and sunny. Great! I grabbed the signs and a stapler and headed out the door. This is what I saw:

Yup, that is a wet windshield. It rained late last night and it was still quite damp and wet. I was terribly disheartened but trying to remain positive I went out and hung signs anyway.

It never really cleared up. It was chilly and overcast all day-- certainly not the type of weather to bring out hoards of shoppers-- but I still made a fairly decent chunk of change. And more importantly I had FUN! I have such nice neighbors (I met several new ones) and it felt so good to be surrounded by so many people who truly care about my well being.

Deidra and Abraham both arrived at my house before 8am! Abraham brought bagels and coffee!

My sister came all the way from Pittsburgh!

My little neighbor stopped by.

I got smacked in the face by toys.

Some friends were more helpful than others. lol

I kept several things that didn't sell for my own daughter and took the rest to Goodwill.
It was a really great day.

Busy Saturday

I decided I need help with my weight loss so I am going to join Weight Watchers (again). I know what to do to lose weight (eat fewer calories than you burn, blah, blah, blah) but I am an emotional eater and almost anything is a reason to eat. I'm bored? Eat something! I'm stressed? Eat something! I'm depressed? Eat something! I'm celebrating? Eat something! I need to stay up late to get work done? Eat something! The thing I liked about Weight Watchers was I became more aware of portions, healthy choices and the weigh-ins made me accountable. With summer coming I am bound to eat healthier and lose weight anyway, but having the weekly weigh-ins will make me stay more focused.

So yesterday I woke up early to go to a meeting and what do I see when I arrived? This sign on the door!
See, I try to do the right thing and I met with obstacles! It doesn't help that I entered a contest on Michelle's blog and won this!
OK, I know I entered the contest but did WW have to be closed the same week the coupon arrived?? It's a conspiracy, I tell ya! (Notice the cute toy on my radiator that I got for $2)

Since I couldn't go to that WW meeting I decided to drive to the place where I used to go for meetings (a bit further from my house, but I was determined) only to find out it is now a Bank of America. Bummer. I did notice that there was a farmers market going on, though, so I parked my car and walked around.
I ended up buying some lettuce and apples. How cool is it to have a live bass player at a farmers market?

I had planned to go into work today but on the way I stopped by my gym to weigh in.
No, I didn't work out (can't lose a bunch of weight before the first weigh in! Ha!) It was a good reminder of how much weight I have to lose, though. Be sure to check out the weight loss sidebar to see my progress.

Then I went into work. Look at this lovely neighborhood my school is in.
I want to move to a neighborhood like this where my kid can ride her bike and I can walk to a nice tennis court. One day.. another thing to work towards.

I got to my classroom and did some things. If only my house (life) was as neat and organized.
Originally I had planned on xeroxing my dossier today when no one would be in line for the copy machine but I didn't get it together in time. Hopefully I will be able to do that this week. I am so ready to be done with paperwork!!

I stopped at the grocery store on the way home and bought some swordfish. After a 2 hour nap (I am so unapologetically taking naps whenever I want while I still can!) I made a lovely dinner of grilled swordfish and a salad with tomatoes, red pepper, avocado and grated asiago cheese and a pear for dessert. I love summer foods!

I finished the day with an evening date. It was a good day.

Mish Mash

I love not working. I love being on vacation. I honestly think I was royalty in another life... But I digress.

The past few days have been very busy and oh so productive! I have been cleaning and organizing (working on that resolution, I am) and spending time with friends and neighbors. My next door neighbors moved in last March. They are very nice and neighborly. A couple of weeks ago they went door to door with homemade cookies for everyone they had spoken to "for at least five minutes" and invited them to come over for New Year's brunch. They had the people next door to me and on the other side of them and one house down and across the street and down the block and around the corner.. people I had never even seen before! It was most impressive, actually. I got to actually speak to and learn the names of people who have never heard more than a 'hi' or a 'good morning' from me. It was so nice and so, well, neighborly. What a great way to build community! Here is a picture of some of the people at the brunch.


Today I met my friend Deidra for lunch and afterwards she came over and we baked chocolate chip cookies (my version with Earth Balance, Sucranat, and whole wheat flour--semi wholesome!). Here we are acting crazy (my excuse is from lack of sleep). Why am I using so many parentheses? (Seriously, why?)

OK! I am seriously tired and I am having carpeting laid in my bedroom tomorrow. I love the hardwood but it's just not cozy and I'm a floor person and it's my house so there. (heehee)

Here's the before picture of my bedroom without the carpet. There are patches of lavender on the wall because I am also considering painting it lavender... Which reminds me!! I entered a contest a few weeks ago from some home makeover show. They were looking for a teacher with a 'good story' to redo a room in his/her house. I figured my adoption story was semi-interesting so I entered. We'll see! (oh, and the photography contest I entered last fall? ...didn't place--FYI... but I will enter more in 2009!)


And now I am going to bed because I am exhausted and, well, because I can! (good night)