September in review

I wasn't a very good blogger in September. A few thing were going on...

I moved.

I stayed in the same apartment building, but I moved two floor downs and to the front of the building. I also added a bedroom! Now it seems to be taking me an extra 20 minutes to get ready in the morning. I think I get lost.

I'm still working on decorating the new space... so much wall!

I was playing dodgeball.

Dodgeball turned out to be a lot of fun. A friend and I joined a team of strangers, who ended up being awesome. We ended the season with a rooftop party at the Vida Penthouse.

Team Peace Corps Peru

Penthouse Pool!

My sister Beth came to visit.

Beth came to visit some of her friends in Baltimore, but luckily she found some time to spend with me. I took her running and eating.

Pizza & pizza scissors at Ghibellina 

cream cow for breakfast at Ted's Bulletin

Pacers Shake Shack Run

I had a quick trip to Missouri to see Marissa get Married.

I squeezed in a quick visit to see my family, which of course included coffee and bake goods at Old Drum.

junior year college roomies

Me & Sarah enjoying the beautiful evening

Dad enjoying coffee from a john deere cup while decked out in john deere 

I painted wine glasses with friends at 918 F Street.

I continued to work out in Franklin Park.

Every week was a great workout and full of great giveaways. If they do this again I suggest everyone attend.

I'm in the hot pink shirt

I watched Australian Football at the Australian Embassy.

So it isn't just like rugby after all. They play on a round field (CRAZY) and have four poles at each "end zone" looked a little like a quidditch field if you ask me.

I coordinated the DC State Fair Bike Accessory contest.

It was a lot of emailing and worrying, but it all worked out perfectly. I also entered a dog bow tie in the DC flag knitting contest.

The winning entry and my three judges

I didn't have any DC red, but you get the idea...

I also did a fair amount of running... this Sunday Kristen and I are running the Woodrow Wilson Bridge 1/2 Marathon.

Getting married in Phoenix

A few weeks ago I headed out to Phoenix to celebrate my friends Amanda and Branden get married. I went to graduate school with Amanda in Texas and finally met Branden when I moved to DC last year. I'd never been to Phoenix and since it was Presidents' Day weekend I decided to extend the trip Friday to Monday.

Friday when I arrived around 2 pm I dropped my bags, changed into my bikini and headed to the pool. It was in the mid seventies the whole weekend and the pool was heated so chilling by the pool was amazing for this winter exhausted east coast girl.

After welcome cocktails I headed with another long lost grad school friend to have dinner at a place called Sandbar. We actually had to walk across sand and by a pool to our seats. We each enjoyed a margarita and I had some delicious tacos before heading back to bed (the two hour time change was brutal).

Saturday morning I got up early to run 10 miles. The resort had a four mile route they recommended so I ran that twice and threw on another loop to get 10. The morning temperature was perfect for running in a t-shirt and shorts and the route took me past about 500 cacti. I learned I loved cacti, mountains, polite suburban runners, and the desert air truly is dry (I stopped at CVS for a bottle of water).

where the road ended and golf course began

the sun was intense

so pretty

a little closer

After my run I rinsed off and we headed back to the pool for a few hours before we had to get ready for the wedding.

The wedding ceremony was in a pretty church a 40 minute drive from the resort, luckily they bussed us all there. Amanda actually glowed during the ceremony (as evidenced below).

i do's

We headed back to the hotel for the reception. I got ridiculously happy when I noticed we were having cauliflower puree instead of mashed potatoes. Oh and the cake was delicious too. Then we DANCED!

hey, I made the background of this one!

The next day called for hot tub and brunch. Then I did some reading by the water feature while I waited for my friend Kandyce who lives in Phoenix to come pick me up.

everyone deserves one of these in their backyard

Next up, Phoenix outside of resorts...