Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC

My mom has been asking to go see the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC for like 3 years now.  And this year being the year I decided to DO stuff because the last few years have been about unsuccessfully trying to have a baby, I made the plans to go!  Me, my mom, my little brother and luckily even my husband drove down to DC last Saturday to spend the night and see some cherry blossoms!  The goal of the weekend was pretty loose, see some cherry blossoms and maybe some other stuff.  Ha.  We planned to try to go to a few museums and eat some good food.  My mom wanted to go to the Holocaust museum and I wanted to go to the Fireworks Festival by the water (the food truck rally sold me) and Union Market (more food and also a pop-up at Thread).  Union Market is a lot like Chelsea Market in NYC (I was jut there 2 weeks ago for the first time and it was awesome!).  On the ride down, my brother said he wanted to go to the zoo.  We attempted this once we arrived, but it was just too crowded and the parking lot was full.  It was probably the first nice day of the year and also cherry blossom season, so the city was pretty packed!  We almost didn't get into the Holocaust museum either, but turns out military can get tickets even when civilians are being turned away due to the place being full.  My brother is the National Guard, so he got tickets for us.  After that sad experience we walked down to the water to the Fireworks Festival.  I bought some cupcakes and chocolate chip cookie bark and my family marveled at how much money I spend on such things.  I like to support the small business, especially the small food business.  The lines for the food trucks were very long and my family wasn't into the options, so we decided to check out Philips seafood, which was next to the Festival and advertised a seafood buffet.  We waited IN LINE for 45 minutes and the food pretty much sucked!  I thought that place was known for its seafood.  Not a fan.  I also wasn't a fan of the very long walk back to our hotel.  Have I mentioned my feet hate me?  They hate walking too.

Sunday we went to brunch at Kramerbooks & Afterwords.  This place is basically my perfect hangout. My husband and I used to (before it shutdown) spend are Friday nights at Borders drinking coffee and reading magazines (we are probably the reason it closed) and Kramerbooks is a bookstore, cafe and bar!  And it's open 24hrs. on the weekends!!  I'd be there all the time if I lived nearby.  It's right at Dupont Circle and there's a Farmer's market across the street on Sundays.  Ideal.  After brunch we checked out of the hotel and made our way to the National Museum of Women in the Arts where I was lucky enough to see a Kiki Smith sculpture.  We ran out of there pretty quick because our parking situation was questionable.  Luckily, Union Market had a lot, so parking was no issue.  I loved this place, but I'd like to visit on a Tuesday morning, not a beautiful Sunday afternoon when everybody is there!  We only managed to get a coffee, everything else was really packed (and also expensive) and my family wasn't really into it.  I should maybe explain that my family is perfectly happy at a chain restaurant when I'd rather seek out the small, local places.  Food is important to me.  Very important to me.  I take it very seriously and quite frankly, I'm willing to pay more for it.  I don't like to pay a lot for clothes, I'm a lover of the clearance rack, but $9 for a handmade candy bar from Brooklyn?  I'll take it!  My family thinks I'm nuts (but they eat the things I buy for them, no problem) and my husband tries to tolerate me (and he also has no problem eating what I buy).  Just refer to my trip to NYC last weekend.  

We also checked out the popup at Thread.  Very fun, but most of the items were out of my price range. Like I said, I'm more of a clearance rack girl!

All in all, it was a super fun weekend and I plan to go back for at least a day trip this summer!  And now for a few photos...

Pretty walk to the White House

The White House

Treasury

Me and my brother (maybe not my best look)

Capitol Building

Washington Monument

Post vacation let down

We spent the last week at Blue Bay Grand Esmerelda in Riviera Maya and now we're back and bummed.  We came back to a heat wave and broken AC, which has made us rather irritable.  Plus, I think we had so much expectation of this vacation and then even thought afterwards we'd feel better, but now that we're back we realize it's just the same shit we left behind.  Tomorrow it's back to work and back to real life.  I have to go get a blood test redone because when I got it done before I left the lab screwed up and the blood wasn't viable.  So, it's right back into the baby making bullshit!  I'm hoping this test will give me some real answers so I can move the fuck on!  Maybe it seems like I don't really want a baby if I'm ready to throw in the towel, but I can't have my entire life revolve around this one thing that is NOT WORKING!  We've been trying for almost 3 years now, I'm ready to concentrate on something else!  It's time to get back to thinking about the rest of my life and what I want from it.  

1.  I want a CAREER.  Something I can say with pride when people ask me what I do for a living.

2.  I want to wear a bathing suit at any moment and not have to worry about my stomach or ass.

3.  I want to have things to talk about with my husband other than fertility treatments or bills.

4.  I want to have people over whenever and not worry about whether my house is a mess.

5.  I want my house to actually look like we live in it, not like we just moved in.  (We've lived here 7 years and I've hung 3 pictures in the living room)  yeah.  

I feel like this is a good list to concentrate on.  On one positive note, I decided to stop biting my nails so they'd be nice for vacation and I've actually managed to stick with it!  They're not super long, but they are longer than they have ever been.  I got a gel manicure before we left and I'm obsessed now!  I want to go back soon and get another one with designs.  Haha.  See...prettyyyy.

Vacation!

It's been a rough couple of years and luckily my husband finally sees that we need a vacation!  We haven't gone on vacation together in probably two years.  And it's time to put baby making on the back burner and concentrate on something other than medication, cycle days and egg counts!  I haven't booked anything officially yet, but I'm thinking very seriously about staying at Secrets Capri Riviera Maya.  I've heard great things about this resort!  It's probably a little more than I really want to spend, but honestly, I think we deserve it!

Secrets Capri Riviera Maya

We'll be going on vacation the last week in May, so that's about 3 months to get in bikini shape!  Ha.  No seriously, I need to lose some pounds and tighten a few things!  Things have gone DOWN HILL the last couple years.  My goal is to be able to wear a bikini constantly in Mexico and NOT feel uncomfortable.  My next post (in an attempt to actually update this blog) will be on vacation attire!  Bikinis, sundresses, and sandals!

I also have a few other things I'm working on and I'll post about those soon!

Vacation!

On vacation, trying to get a little sun and plan my next step in life. Fall will be here soon and I've always thought of it as a new start. I have some new ideas in mind. Talk to you all in a bit!

Let's try again

Awhile ago I started a high protein diet but then I stopped because of circumstances, but those circumstances have since changed, so I'm about to go back on the diet.  The first week I did it. I lost 2 pounds, and that was without even working out really.  In 4 weeks from Monday I'll be attending my joint 30th birthday party with my husband and I'd love to lose 10 lbs. by then!  I'm thinking 2-3 lbs. per week is realistic, if I stay strict with the eating and the working out.  Plus, due to the same circumstances changing we also plan to take a little vacation in May and I'd love to be bikini ready for that.  We're thinking Mexico and that requires a bikini.  What more motivation do I need?  I'd post a before photo, but let's be honest, I don't want to scare people so maybe you'll settle for some after photos?  Sound good?  Good.  In the meantime, I'd like these abs...

What?  I'm not far from that...hahaha.  Well, a girl can dream.  Maybe I should go to the gym right now...

This is going to be rough, but I think I can do it if I stay strong and focused.

Hello 2011!

Twenty ten was an okay year.  Nothing too amazing happened.  To be honest, the year flew by!  I really don't know where it went.  I got married at the end of 2009 and then all the sudden it was the end of 2010.  There were a few house renovations (a new kitchen built by my wonderful husband), new floors (also courtesy of my husband), a couple trips, my one year wedding anniversary was celebrated and one of my closest friends had her first baby in November.  But, the truth is, there was a lot that was not accomplished in 2010.  But, alas, there's nothing I can do about that now, so instead I'm going to concentrate on making 2011 my best year yet!  Twenty eleven is kind of a big deal because I will be turning 30!  I know, it's kinda crazy.  I can't believe it myself.  I'm sure you see why this year is so important to accomplish a few things.  So, let's get down to it.  I'll guess I'll go with the list.

1.  Eat more vegetables and whole foods.  Cut back on the processed foods.  I tend to get lazy and just eat out for lunch and sometimes even dinner, but I really want to pay more attention to the quality of what I'm eating.
2.  Find the door to my gym again.  I have been really awful about going to the gym for like SIX MONTHS, ugh it hurts just typing that.  I REALLY need to go back.  Bottom line, I start tomorrow.  I have no choice.  The real goal here is to feel good enough about my body to be willing to go to the gym in just a sports bra and pants.  Ha.  So ridiculous, but it would be so awesome!
3.  Keep my house clean.  Usually, I clean on the weekends and by like Tuesday the house is a mess again.  The thing is, there are only TWO OF US, and we live in a relatively small house, you'd think we could keep it clean!  It's so annoying.  I'm not perfect and I can be lazy, but my husband, it's like no one ever taught him to hang up his coat, put his clothes in the laundry, put his dish in the sink let alone the dishwasher.  It's really kind of amazing and not in a good way.  I mean, if we can't even keep a house clean now, what are we going to do when we have kids?!  So, my goal is for the two of us to get it together and keep the house clean.  I might have made a point with him earlier when I mentioned that if we could keep the house clean on a regular basis, we wouldn't have to spend our days off cleaning, I think he may have got it.  We'll see.
4.  Find a career I love.  This is one that is very important to me.  I'm not happy with my current job and I haven't been for quite awhile.  I just don't see the point in spending my days doing something I don't find challenging or useful.  So this it, this is the year I'm going to make that change and follow my heart to something I love to do.
5.  Start an etsy shop.  I like to bake.  I do it a lot and I'm pretty good at it, at least that's what I hear.  So I think it's time to take it to the next level.  And I've seen other people with etsy bakeshops, so why can't I have one?  This is something I hope to have off the ground by the end of January.  What am I waiting for?  Who knows, it could lead to great things!
6.  Update my blog more often.  I think this will come with living my life more fully and having more things to talk about.
7.  Actually get my personal training certification.  I signed up (and paid) for this in July 2009 and I still haven't done it!  I have until July to finish it or I'm out the money I paid.  At this point, it's just a matter of getting it done.  It might be a good side job.  Ha.
8.  Clean out the back bedroom.  Right now it's just a pit holding a futon, ten ton of books and cds, my craft table (that I never use) and wedding remnants (gifts and other stuff) but it's ultimately going to be a nursery (hopefully).  I kinda have it in my head that if I clean out the room a baby will come.  I hope so.  I look forward to having a child to teach how to be a good person.  But, let's not get into that now.
9.  Use my camera more.  I have a pretty nice camera that should be getting a lot more use.  But, suspect it'll be getting more use with the start of my etsy shop and the increased updating of my blog!  
10.  Touch my toes.  I know this is ridiculous, but I can't touch my toes.  I mean, it's not even close.  So, I'd like to change that.
11.  Start a family.  I'm not sure this can be a goal, since it's not really something I can control.  But, the goal definitely is to add a baby to our little family in 2011.  Right now it's just my husband and I along with our dog and cat.  We feel like a baby would fit quite nicely in it.  We might need to get a king sized bed for family day on Sundays, but that's okay!  Until that happens though, I'll be concentrating on the other ten goals.
Here's to a great year!

I'd really love...

to be organized
to have all the rooms in my house done exactly the way I want them
to have the space for a large garden that I remember to water on the regular
to have a closet full of clothes I love and that I look amazing in
to perfect my face on a daily basis
to sleep in fancy lingerie, though I do love the flannel pjs and v-necks, my husband doesn't seem to
to go to the gym on the regular
to have six pack abs and SJP-like biceps
to be able to walk in heels
to eat less mashed and fried potatoes and more whole grains
to be doing something challenging with my life
to not be embarrassed to tell people what I do for a living
to buy Uggs just because I want to
to find the perfect skincare products to get me perfect skin
to spend at least some of my Saturdays with my husband
to own a beach house or maybe a regular house with an in-ground pool and a lounge a chair
to tan perfectly and not burn randomly
to stop biting my nails FOREVER and not just a few weeks
to figure out what to do with myself

'Eat, Pray, Love'

Two summers ago my friend called me while I was on the bike at the gym and insisted I read 'Eat, Pray, Love'.  She was so excited about it, I bought the book and started to read it, but soon got distracted and left it behind (kinda like that Eckhart Tolle book, 'A New Earth' still need to get back to that).  Recently though, I decided I wanted to see the movie coming out, so I should read the book and what better place to read the book, but on the beach in Jamaica?  And I have to say, I really loved the book the second time around.  I now want to travel to all the places Liz went in the book and I also want to get back into yoga and learn to meditate.  Meditating I'm not quite sure how to start, but I am going to go back to Tuesday night yoga at the gym and hope I get better at it, because I currently suck!

The goals:

Travel often

Do yoga and get flexible

Meditate and maybe gain some inner peace

Any suggestions on the meditating?                      

Jamaica!

We just spent a week in Jamaica and here's a little bit of what we did...


Ziplining in Jamaica from Melinda S Flynn on Vimeo.





(and my first time posting a video)

Flip cam Ultra HD

Just bought this for our trip to Jamaica!  I also bought an under water case for it.  I think we're going to go ziplining (if I've been sufficiently convinced I'm not going to fall to my death) and also swim with the dolphins, so I think the Flip cam will be a really fun thing to have.  Plus, I'm sure we'll use it once we have a child so I doubt it'll go to waste after our trip.  I did some research on all the Flip cams and it seems like the Ultra HD is the way to go.  I ordered it from Amazon with a gc I had from Christmas and somehow I got another $20 promotion off, so you can't beat that!  I did choose free shipping though, so it better get here in two weeks!  Come on Amazon let's be speedy with this one.