I'm Still Here

I guess the purpose of this post is two-fold:

1. I'm still here - I haven't ever really gotten into blogging as any kind of routine.  When I get home from working a 12 hour day in the office (my norm), the last thing I usually want to do is sit at front of a computer and work more.  That being said - I'd love to have a place (i.e. this blog) to use as kind of a journal to capture my life.  Something I can look back on.  As much as I work, this is a wonderful exciting time and I'm afraid that if I don't capture some of the wonderful everyday moments that make it worth while I'll look back and think that all I did in Washington, D.C. was work.  While that's the bulk of my time - its certainly not what I think of as the bulk of my life.
2. Mr. Lincoln moved last month. To Arizona.  YIKES!  It all happened really fast, and - obviously - things have been pretty chaotic around here.  He's been gone about 2 weeks and to be completely honest the transition has been a lot harder than I anticipated.  Yes, we were long distance for a long time before living together, but its really hard to be still in the same apartment with his/our cat and so many of his things and to be here along.  So I'm still here... but its just me now.

Just a brief update.  Just the things I can handle for now - since so much is going on!

Lightening Up & Letting Go

I recently came across this post 15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy (I can't remember how, but I'm guessing it was on Pinterest) and it made me think.  I'm certainly guilty of a lot of things on this list (hello #s 2, 9, 14). It's always a good reminder to lighten up and let go.  A lot of these lessons are the hardest, and the ones I find myself constantly having to relearn and be reminded of.

Give Up:
1)  Your need to always be right
2)  Your need for control
3)  Blame
4)  Self-defeating talk
5)  Limiting beliefs
6)  Complaining
7)  The luxury of criticism
8)  Your need to impress others
9)  Your resistance to change
10) Labels
11) Your fears
12) Your excuses
13) The past
14) Attachment
15) Other people's expectations

Check out the full post on Purpose Fairy here

Way Out West

I've been slammed (as usual) at work this month - back in Seattle for work then a quick trip back to Texas to visit my family.  Here's a few quick (long overdue) pics!

Obligatory Space Needle picture

Dogs Days of Summer

Surprise landing to refuel at Dyess AFB - Abilene

In N Out Cheeseburger - Animal Style!!

Pike Place Market

Sustainable Seafood at Pike Place Market

Elephant Car Wash - Seattle

Weekday Holiday!

I live in D.C., so odds are I'm either I work for the federal government or an attorney, and in my case both.  Working for the fed means federal holidays (YAY!) but the timing of the 4th seems odd this year... I can't remember the last time we had a holiday totally in the middle of the week all by its lonesome.

I was initially a bit disappointed - What No Three Day Weekend?! - until I realized that it essentially meant TWO two day weeks!  Now this might actually be a proposal I could get behind.  It's always either Monday or Friday - none of those dull Tuesdays or dreary Wednesdays.  Unlike when they proposed Year Round School when I was a kid, I'm now increasingly in favor of shorter, more frequent breaks (anyone else miss nap time?).

Photo: Kevin Ambrose via Washington Post

I'm looking forward to tomorrow - Mr. Lincoln and I will be heading over to some friends to watch the fireworks from a friends roof deck, and we are making a boozy watermelon to beat the heat!  I've never actually been in D.C. for the 4th of July, normally taking advantage of the long weekend to visit family, so I'm pretty excited for this year! 

Don't Step on my [Multicolored Neon Running] Shoes

Sooo... I've been drooling over these babies for months.  My "saved" shoes in my Endless.com account will be one less - because these lovelies are now the newest members of my closet!


These New Balance WR1400 were more than I would normally like to spend... but I've decided if there is one fashion item that I won't give myself a guilt trip for, its new workout gear.  I needed new running shoes anyway, and I've been lusting after these for months.  And of course I couldn't resist the multipack of matching neon sock at the checkout. YES!

What kind of indulgences do you allow yourself?

Status Update...

So... clearly I wrote a few blog posts... and then never wrote any more.  I keep thinking still that I want a blog to record the things that I am doing and experiencing.  A way to remember things I want to look back on.  A way to revisit this part of my life (I guess that's really the origins of blogging anyway - anyone else remember livejournal?).

I've been traveling a lot for work, and I'd love for my photos to go somewhere than the CameraRoll of my iPhone 4S.  Seriously.  The digital age is so sad sometimes.  We take so many more photos, but sometimes they become kind of meaningless.

This week I'm in Cle Elum, Washington.  I'm a Texan, born and raised, and while I may live in DC now, getting out to the mountains of the west coast still remains a relatively foreign experience for me.  We're staying at a resort - my room literally overlooks the mountains; now capped, tree lined, with a river running through the valley just below my room.  I would feel spoiled if it weren't for working 18 hours a day.

But I digress.  Here is the part I want to remember.  The Cle Elum River at sunset.  I took quick solo hike down to the river just before sunset.

Up North here, the light slowly fades and sunset seems to lasts for hours.  I was the only one on the trail, and it was quiet and peaceful.  The river is cold, clear, and strong.  Its obviously carved the valley that my hotel rests atop, but at the same time is seems timeless, as if its run the same course for eons and always would.

It seems a shame to come to such a beautiful place, full of activities that Mr. Lincoln  and I like to do together, and to not be able to share it with him.  Its always hard to find the time and money to get away, and while this summer may not be the time to revisit the other Washington, I think this is a great reminder to do what you can, when you can.  Present over perfect.

Avocado Pesto Pasta

I work late. A lot. Like leaving the office at 8 - 8:30 regularly. When I'm getting home and its after 9:00, sometimes cooking a decent dinner seems like more than I can muster.  This dinner literally came together from the odds and ends of my refrigerator, inspired by a couple of different recipes I've seen on the internet (via Chef Chloe and Noriko Burky).  If you can imagine all the best aspects of pesto and guacamole, that's what this pasta was.  Light, creamy, filling, fresh, rich, fruity, salty, tangy - it was unexpectedly AMAZING.

Luckily, it's easily customizable depending on what you can scrounge together out the depths of your fridge at the end of a long day.  Here's what I came up with (but lets be honest - most of these measurements are approximations - start with this and see what tastes right to you!

Avocado Pesto Pasta
Adapted from Chef Chloe

1 serving pasta (I used whole wheat penne)
1/2 ripe avocado
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp grated parmesan
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp pesto (preferably homemade, or fresh pesto)
juice of 1/2 lime
1-2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cook the pasta (don't forget to salt the water!).  While the pasta is cooking, grate the parmesan and combine it in a food processor with the avocado, garlic pesto and lime juice.  Pulse to combine.  Add enough EVOO so that the mixture becomes smooth and creamy (1 tsp to 1 tbsp should do it.)

As the pasta is just al dente, add the spinach and wilt (about 20 seconds in the pasta water.) Drain, and add the sauce mixture to the pasta.  The heat from the pasta will warm the sauce through - and dinner is served!

This was quite literally one of the most delicious dinners I've had, and it was so quick and easy, it will definitely be making it into heavy rotation around here.  Enjoy (and may I recommend a nice Chardonnay to accompany!)