Is it just me or did April fly by? Here’s a quick summary of how I filled the month. Despite being kept quite busy at work, I did manage to fit some fun in. In April, I:
Went to an "Arctic-themed" costume party with Marin, complete with an ice sculpture of a polar bear. (If my costume looks familiar,
there's a reason for that.)
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Welcomed home my dear friend
Amber from a year teaching in South Korea with an Asian-themed dinner and birthday party:
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Rocked out at
Casey’s incredible fashion show, where he debuted his intensely impressive clothing line:
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Won two out of three games of Settlers of Catan during an epic gaming night.
Bought a Bernina 1979 classic sewing machine. Isn't it gorgeous?
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Started taking lessons from Casey, who currently has me sewing “squares of insanity” in which you stitch gradually smaller squares separated by exact distances. This one is 3/8ths of an inch:
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Hiked Rattlesnake Ledge with Amber on the first 70+ degree day of the year. I don't know why I like this picture so much... it seems sort of seventies-esque, no?
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Gorgeous views from the top. That lake will be killer to swim in this summer.
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Baked my first gluten-free, dairy-free cake in honor of my sister’s birthday. It turned out pretty well - super dark, not too sweet, and very dense.
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The frosting is an amazing chocolate coconut mousse that could not be easier to make.
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Started seedlings indoors (tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, cilantro) and planted potatoes, radishes, carrots, arugula, and snap peas outdoors at the thriving estate of K, M, and J. Pictured: garlic, fava beans, and leeks planted last fall; arugula, carrot, and radish seedlings.
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Generally swooned over the adorable and wildly vocal toddler J as he nears the 2-year mark. I swear he knows the name for every object in every book we read. (That's a butterfly! That's a kite! That's the letter B! That's a fire engine! THAT'S A DIGGER!)
Started playing tennis – poorly but enthusiastically – with
Morgan.
Helped my friend Jacob purge 8 years of his life as he finally moved out of his apartment while engaging in psychological warfare on his consumerist habits, especially in the purchase of books and mustard.
Wore a skirt which has not fit comfortably in 2 years, thanks largely to going (mostly) gluten-free and to thrice-weekly kettle bell swing sessions in my living room. (Image courtesy of thefitnessworkout.com)
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And, that's April for you. I’ve scheduled my annual spring visit to Philadelphia for May 20-31, and there are several other exciting events on the docket, so I’m really looking forward to what the next month has to offer!