thankful list | November 2016

01. a good discussion at my reflection and planning meeting (i.e. semi-annual review at work).
02. an amazing community group.
03. turning on the Cubs game in the 5th inning to see them leading in Game 6.
04. wearing my Cubs hat at work.
05. an epic Game 7.
06. the improvement in my baseball comprehension, which made the game even more fun/stressful.
07. a broken curse and a Cubs win. #partylikeits1908
08. my Cubs hat, the wearing of which undoubtedly lead to the win. #itsonlycrazyifitdoesntwork
09. hearing Ian's Wrigley/Cubs memories from growing up.
10. an early bedtime after all that late-night game watching.
11. Harry Caray calling the final out in game 7 thanks to the magic of technology (Ian cried).
12. a slow Friday at the office.
13. an office pizza party.
14. REUNION's first ever marriage retreat, which was amazing!
15. homemade cast-iron skillet pizza.
16. a great message at REUNION.
17. not missing Super Cluckin' Sunday sandwiches (the Improper Bostonian made the line long this month).
18. an afternoon of lounging and reading, because we needed it.
19. a copyediting opportunity at work.
20. our community group, because we really needed each other Tuesday night.
21. friendships at work.
22. a reminder from a friend that I can still work to bring God's love and hope here, now.
23. a much needed date night to talk through the last 24 hours and what it means for us.
24. a night babysitting three of our favorite little people.
25. a night of Exploding Kittens with one of my favorite neighbors (thanks, Erin!).
26. after lots of hard work, a cleaned up yard.
27. a great day at REUNION, with the message I needed to hear.
28. time with friends.
29. Ian, especially for being so good at food.
30. successfully making Grandma's dinner rolls.
31. discussing, with our community group, what it means to be a good neighbor.
32. the annual Sasaki Thanksgiving potluck.
33. Cutty's for breakfast.
34. a good appointment.
35. a good copyediting challenge at work.
36. a DR partnership summit/slumber party with good friends.
37. birthday brunch to celebrate our dear friend Emily.
38. seeing her reaction when Brett said they were spending the rest of the weekend in Puerto Rico.
39. a lazy Sunday.
40. a big pile of firewood to get us through the winter (thanks, Ian, for stacking!).
41. finally getting back to yoga.
42. starting the extra long weekend just a little early.
43. a night of dreaming about our next home projects.
44. Ian elevating pasta, red sauce, and ground beef.
45. a few new Christmas things, including two new stockings. #Astridneedsone #planningahead
46. an amazing Friendsgiving.
47. chatting bathroom renovation with the Foxes, who are professional DIYers.
48. decorating for Christmas.
49.  Elf.
50. a beautiful Christmas tree (from Russo's!).
51. our official announcement (special thanks to Sara for being our photographer!).
52. a visit from the Nichols.
53. a husband who takes care of me when I'm under the weather.
54. brunch with an old friend, and meeting a new one.
55. Nutella Fluff ice cream at Toscanini's.
56. a Home Depot trip to look at tile for the bathroom (thanks, Foxes!).
57. Lord of the Rings (the extended version, obvi #nerdalert).
58. a good day at the office.
59. catching up on bookkeeping.
60. progress on bathroom renovation plans: Ian is in his element.
61. that mac and cheese that Ian made.
62. countless congratulations and well wishes.
63. a surprise gift basket at the office (I have the best bosses).
64. Dr. Seuss.

We're thankful for a lot this year...

...but especially our newest pair of (tiny) TOMS shoes. #may2017

thankful list | October 2016

01. breakfast with Ian's family.
02. Varsity Donuts. #donutsmakepeoplehappy
03. Bluestem Bistro.
04. errands in Aggieville.
05. bumping into Phil and Ashley at ACME.
06. a fun and beautiful wedding. #thejureyisin
07. another incredible sister-in-law. I finally have sisters, plural. #mindblown
08. family time.
09. sibling selfies.
10. brunch to send off the happy couple.
11. catching the UCC ONE service at City Park.
12. a fun crazy family lunch.
13. dinner with my oldest friend and her amazing family... it's been too long.
14. catching up with Grandma Marilyn and Susan.
15. a stroll around campus.
16. running into Willie the Wildcat.
17. Nathan and Sara for driving us back to the airport.
18. our community group.
19. leadership community and vision-casting for the future of our church.
20. brunch at Dorado with the Kurlbaums.
21. catching Grey's soccer game.
22. apple cider donuts and pumpkin shopping with the Kurlbaums.
23. a long but successful morning handing out new brand swag.
24. after months of planning, and a crazy day of prep, a successful brand launch party.
25. Mei Mei. heart eyes forever. #scallionpancakes
26. the dinosaur that showed up to dance.
27. IKEA meatballs.
28. a really, really good day.
29. a Stellina date thanks to a gift card.
30. a Toscanini's run.
31. watching the Pats game with friends.
32. discovering the Bears vs. Babies game on Kickstarter.
33. an amazing mother-in-law. (happy birthday, Micki!)
34. progress on our bedroom (another door painted! the last 10% of a project is hard...).
35. seeing a recap of the Sasaki fashion show entry.
36. a rainy day date night at Shake Shack.
37. Ian for knocking out yard work and planting things with hopes of a more beautiful spring.
38. clean windows.
39. Orinoco with some of my favorite ladies.
40. catching up with the Drs. Hu.
41. a Halloween party, costumes not required.
42. the cute (tiny) costumes that did show up.

#thejureyisin, or, the day Anna got her second sister

Caleb and Kate haven't been a thing as long as Nathan and Sara, but I think they've known each other longer. Their story involves unrequited high school love and bad timing, which just turned out to be God making sure that when they finally took a chance on a relationship, it would really work. I was so excited when Caleb told me he proposed, and we wouldn't have missed celebrating their wedding with them for anything!

We got into KC Thursday evening and stayed with Nathan and Sara for the night (they took advantage of this time to make us start watching Stranger Things). The next morning, we headed to Manhattan, arriving with enough time to sneak in a bite to eat and a pit stop at Danenburg Jewelers for a ring cleaning before ending up at Houston Street Ballroom to help decorate for the reception (yes, the same venue where Ian and I had our wedding reception, and we definitely reminisced). Caleb and Kate had a vision, but they kept everything super chill, which was fantastic for all of us enlisted to help make it happen. We finished up with plenty of time to decorate the church before the rehearsal. We were pleasantly surprised to find our our friends Ben and Storm were providing the ceremony music, and had lots of fun catching up!

After the rehearsal, we headed to the Jardine complex (where Ian and I lived his last year of school, more memories), to the student-run restaurant that was hosting the rehearsal dinner. (This was followed by more episodes of Stranger Things at the hotel.)

The day of the wedding, we got up early, picked up breakfast at Varsity Donuts, and spent some time with Grandma Marilyn, Susan, and Dane and Micki (who were in town for the wedding). We're so thankful we were able to squeeze in some time with the Scherling family too!

After running some errands, we got ready and headed to the church. The wedding was beautiful and so personal! After family photos, we stopped at Chick-fil-a for a quick bite, and then headed to the reception. Arrow Coffee catered the desserts and drinks, and wow, was that food good! We had so much fun hanging out, dancing, and generally being silly (see selfies below). All in all it was an incredible evening, and my amazing sister count is up to two! CRAZY!





Sidenote: I realized too late that I took a grand total of seven photos. Caleb, I'm sorry that my sibling wedding photography mirrors the trajectory of what Mom did with our high school graduation floral arrangements. I love you. Promise.

Sunday, Caleb and Kate hosted a quick brunch and then headed off to Austin for their honeymoon!

We stuck around Manhattan for another day, spending more time with family, catching up with old friends (Britni, Joe, Spencer, so good to see you!), and lecturing at K-State... okay, the last one was just Ian. He's kind of a big deal. #soproud

Before we knew it, we were on our way back to Kansas City, and Nathan and Sara were driving us to the airport (after sharing their Netflix info so we could actually watch the last episode of Stranger Things... it's only fair since it's their fault we were addicted).

Caleb and Kate, we're so glad you found each other. Kate, welcome to the family! We love you both!

thankful list | September 2016

01. a night to veg in front of the TV.
02. Astrid's belly.
03. lunch from Meat Spot.
04. friends to watch the K-State game with (and commiserate with about the loss).
05. seeing a low-flying helicopter for the crazy story it makes (training? movie filming?).
06. a beautiful wedding. #doubletheprice (Congrats, Magen and Jonathan!)
07. a fun night with some of our best friends.
08. Astrid sleeping at the foot of our bed again.
09. a message at church that was exactly what I needed to hear.
10. a brunch date at Aquitaine.
11. knocking our errands and feeling prepared for the week. (woot meal planning!)
12. a new planter in the bathroom.
13. exploring one of Ian's project sites.
14. rediscovering our book of NY Times crossword puzzles.
15. bacon-silog.
16. Ian, for getting the rice to "crispin up."
17. Astrid's paw dangling while she naps on the radiator.
18. getting started on plaster repair in the bedroom
19. a kitchen restyle that feels like a new kitchen (with way more countertop space).
20. homemade bread.
21. Ian's amazing cooking skills (and that incredible cobb salad).
22. a quiet evening to relax and catch up.
23. an official office visit to Russo's (for party planning purposes).
24. Super Cluckin' Sunday with friends we don't get to hang out with very often.
25. good news
26. finding a good new brow stylist (after my previous one moved).
27. ice cream at the office.
28. an office book swap.
29. a project to keep me busy while Ian is away: painting our bedroom.
30. the promise of a can of paint.
31. the Chronicles of Narnia Radio Theatre and the YHL Has a Podcast to keep me company.
32. dinner with friends.
33. a night watching high school football. ahhhh, memories.
34. a freshly painted bedroom. (so good I almost forgot how hard it was painting solo. almost.)
35. relaxing after a job well done.
36. Ian getting home in time to partake in the relaxing.
37. a new L.L. Bean comforter cover.
38. a community group hangout night.
39. drinks to celebrate Danielle's new tattoo.
40. babysitting Rowan.
41. discovering Fiorella's Express (#dangerous).
42. a morning on the Cape.
43. Simple Matters.
44. a neighborhood block party.
45. meeting a friend's new baby.
45. REUNION's annual Viva La Picnic.
46. a productive DR partnership discussion.
47. a good farewell lunch for an awesome coworker who's starting a new adventure.
48. Astrid sending us off to Kansas by snuggling on the bed.
49. a good flight to Kansas City.
50. pizza and ice cream with Nathan and Sara.
51. lunch at Bourbon and Baker before diving into wedding reception decorating.
52. a surprise wedding gift from our jewelry store to pass along to the happy couple.
53. Caleb and Kate being so chill about wedding decorating.
54. a good rehearsal.
55. seeing our good friends Ben and Storm.
56. a delicious rehearsal dinner and good time with family.

thankful list | August 2016

01. a fantastic grocery store.
02. a quiet night at home to catch up on life.
03. the DR team making it home safely.
04. safety for our friends in a serious car accident (they walked away unscathed).
05. party planning at the office.
06. the annual office summer barbecue.
07. an evening chatting service trips over dinner with a couple coworkers.
08. a quiet day at the office to catch up on work.
09. falling asleep to the Olympics.
10. the weekend.
11. a morning on the Cape (Ian shellfishing, me reading).
12. the beach.
13. lunch at Pain D'Avignon.
14. Katie's ice cream (although we were sorely missing Grandma Judy).
15. progress in planning our front yard project.
16. breakfast with friends to hear DR stories.
17. REUNION.
18. Super Cluckin' Sunday with friends I've missed!
19. solid progress on a couple work projects.
20. a night to catch up around the house.
21. old friends who are now officially new neighbors.
22. assembling a mini style guide at the office (copyediting nerd alert).
23. decluttering.
24. tomatoes in our garden.
25. seeing Stu (he's famous but always makes you feel like the most important person in the room).
26. a good debrief and next steps planning with our fearless DR partnership co-leaders.
27. catching up around the house.
28. babysitting Annie.
29. a good day at REUNION, with a good message about worry.
30. a long Sunday afternoon nap.
31. tacos and deep conversation with Sara.
32. central air (thanks, Sara!).
33. watching the Great British Baking Show finale at the office.
34. despite it not looking pretty, my chocolate loaf cake tasting delicious.
35. after running around the city looking for a side table, finding a good solution for the living room.
36. babysitting for three of our favorite littles.
37. knocking out errands.
38. a walk around Fresh Pond with Ryan and the Girlbaums.
39. a breakfast date at Sofra.
40. cooking lobsters (and crab cakes) with Nate.
41. K-State Day at Fenway.
42. good dinner and conversation with a fabulous coworker.
43. an evening painting party to help our friends get ready to move in a few blocks away.
44. living so close to so many good friends.
45. discovering an incredible cast-iron skillet pizza recipe (thanks, Bomin!).

we bought a house.

Our home buying story is later than I meant it to be (#storyofmylife) but it feels appropriate to share it exactly one year after closing on our first home.

thankful list | July 2016

01. a quiet day in the office, heading into a long weekend.
02. brownie chips for my birthday breakfast (thanks, Oaks!).
03. Ian's birthday gift: a 3D printed planter he made himself and a pencil cactus.
04. lunch at Roxy's.
05. an afternoon full of my favorite stores (Niche! David's Tea!)
06. a drive along the Charles River with the windows down and Mutemath blasting.
07. ice cream at Toscanini's.
08. an evening at the Middle East to watch our friend compete at air guitar.
09. a great morning at REUNION.
10. time to prep for our birthday slash Independence Day party without too much stress.
11. time with so many people we love dearly.
12. Ian's new grill, for cooking up great burgers.
13. watching fireworks in Waltham (we were so close, I had firework bits in my hair).
14. getting home in time to watch the Boston fireworks on TV.
15. heading back to Brookline to celebrate a friend's birthday.
16. snacks from Sofra.
17. a great DR teambuilding meeting.
18. Follain.
19. REUNION's Live It Out event (we spent the morning working along the Charles River).
20. the Live It Out afterparty picnic.
21. hors d'oeuvres at Branch Line.
22. Astrid's cuteness.
23. a fancified laundry area, thanks to a new rug and trash can.
24. lunch after church with a good friend.
25. an evening hanging out with our community group.
26. construction signs for the new office chicken coop.
27. outdoor movie night at the office.
28. dinner with the Drs. Hu (who we don't see as often as we'd like).
29. Shake Shack and successful errands.
30. a DR team sendoff at REUNION.
31. brunch with a new friend.
32. ice cream.
33. a beautiful evening walk through Christian Science Center.
34. a successful DR trip packing party.
35. ending up with all the trip supplies despite a few snafus.
36. dinner by the water with our new friend.
37. seeing the DR team off at the airport (we did it!).
38. a much needed date night at our beloved Orinoco.
39. a friend's birthday party at Sweet Cheeks.
40. those biscuits.
41. old friends moving in down the street.
42. after a fiasco with a clothing purchase, getting everything sorted out.
43. Ian, always.

thankful list | June 2016

Life felt a bit overwhelming in June, so I'm clinging to this list a little harder.

01. an amazing community group
02. lunch along the river with Ian.
03. all the water fowl that hilariously at my leftover bread.
04. a successful day of errands.
05. a (more) complete capsule wardrobe (flipped to summer!).
06. Super Cluckin Sunday.
07. a Russo's fueled cooking extravaganza with friends.
08. a good DR team meeting.
09. a quick breakfast with Kelly.
10. a good dental appointment.
11. shopping at the Brookline Trader Joe's, for old time's sake.
12. strawberry fusilli with homemade basil.
13. a mostly painless trip to the vet for Astrid (just a minor ear infection).
14. our explosion of ferns.
15. a final weekend on the Cape before our family officially moves.
16. Roxy's on the drive.
17. hanging out with Pfluff and Ming.
18. our first trip to Martha's Vineyard.
19. peonies.
20. crab cakes.
21. warm sand and ocean waves.
22. ice cream at Katie's with Grandma Judy.
23. compost planning at the office.
24. yoga.
25. a great late night chat with Micki.
26. after one of the craziest mornings at the office maybe ever, time with family.
27. Ian (happy birthday!)
28. rest.
29. a new house in the Denver area.
30. lunch at Centro and Finding Dory with Micki and Grandma Judy.
31. a grapefruit rosemary spritzer.
32. time to plan a belated surprise birthday party.
33. brunch at The Kitchen.
34. strolling on Pearl Street.
35. the guys (and kitties) arriving safely in Colorado.
36. brunch as a family (Em, we missed you!).
37. my dads (original and in-law!).
38. old photos.
39. talking to Grandma on what would have been Grandpa's 95th birthday.
40. a comfortable bed.
41. the movers (so we didn't have to do the heavy lifting).
42. quality time with Ren.
43. time for Ian and I to sneak out to see Finding Dory (yes, again).
44. made beds and a (somewhat) put together kitchen.
45. the almost two years of living so close to family.
46. safe flights.
47. not getting stuck overnight in JFK.
48. our own bed.
49. G and H's attempts to coax Astrid out from under the bed.
50. the joy of 1600+ balloons in the Sasaki Gallery.
51. a quiet evening.
52. Ryan and Kelly, for all their help in pulling off Ian's surprise birthday party.
53. pulling off the surprise part (because I'm a terrible liar).
54. all the friends who helped make it amazing.
55. strawberries, especially in Smitten Kitchen's strawberry summer cake.
56. an all-afternoon Sunday nap.
57. clean laundry.
58. Astrid.
59. The Hulu app on our TV. game changer.

a day on Martha's Vineyard

Before the impending move, Micki really wanted us and Grandma Judy to experience Martha's Vineyard together (we'd never been and neither had Grandma Judy). So the last weekend before their big move to Colorado, Ian and I headed to the Cape for a final hurrah. We arrived Friday evening, and woke up bright and early the next day to catch the Island Queen Ferry. It was a beautiful day, and so we picked seats on the upper deck to enjoy the views. And we even saw a biplane fly-by!



A short 30 minutes later, we arrived on Martha's Vineyard. Micki had a full day planned for us, to make the most of our time. We strolled around Oaks Bluff (after picking up some Murdick's Fudge and caramel corn to sustain us). The gingerbread cottages were particularly fascinating. The cluster of tiny, ornate houses started out as a summertime Methodist campground with open air revivals. Lodging for the revivals started out in tents, which were eventually replaced by permanent structures. From the outside, it's hard to believe these tiny summer cottages, built in the mid-1800s, have transitioned into modern homes.



We made our way to the bus stop to get to our next destination — the Polly Hill Arboretum — but due to some unlucky timing, we ended up taking a cab. We spent a few hours wandering the grounds, and it turns out we were there at an incredible time. All of the peonies were in full bloom, and we saw some incredible trees in bloom as well, like the dogwood allée, and the giant Julian magnolia.



We finished up just in time for the private island tour Micki had scheduled with a local guide. He picked us up at the arboretum, and we spent the next few hours driving all over the island. We picked up some chowder and crab cakes at Larsen's Fish Market, visited the Gay Head Cliffs and Lighthouse, passed lots of locations where Jaws filmed, and learned more of the local history and culture. We finished up back in Oaks Bluff with just enough time before the ferry to make an ice cream pit stop.



The next day, back on the Cape, we stuffed ourselves at the Old Yarmouth Inn's brunch buffet before beach hopping the afternoon away, and ending up, as we usually do, at Katie's for ice cream.



Micki and Grandma Judy, thanks so much for making our first trip to the Vineyard such a great one. We're going to miss our New England adventures with you!

Memorial Weekend adventures around Boston

Micki and Grandma Judy headed our way to spend the long weekend in Boston, as part of our attempt to squeeze in as many sights and fun memories as possible before they move to Denver this summer (#denial).

Saturday included a stop at our favorite sandwich shop followed by an afternoon at the Gardner Museum. It was their first time there, and they loved it! As a return visitor, I especially appreciated the Off the Wall exhibition. The second floor in the original building is under renovation, but they temporarily moved some of the key pieces into a gallery in the new wing so patrons could still view them. It was so interesting to get a closer view of some those famous paintings in a modern museum setting (i.e. at eye level with optimal lighting and more information and context), along with larger prints and the history of the famous stolen paintings. And no visit would be complete without stopping by El Jaleo, the courtyard, and the greenhouse.



Sunday was overcast, but after church we headed to the Crane Estate in Ipswich. A wealthy industrialist purchased the land in the early 1900s as a summer retreat, and built a gigantic mansion in  the 1920s. Walking through the house and grounds made me feel like I was stepping into The Great Gatsby. We strolled the long lawn to take in some beautiful ocean views, then found the path down to the beach. I love gray days on the beach — it's empty and quiet and hauntingly beautiful.



Before heading back to Boston, we stopped for dinner at the Clam Box, which apparently is an institution. We waited in line, but it was worth it. I'd recommend the fish and chips!

Monday (I love long weekends!) we visited the Harvard Museum of Natural History. The highlight was the renovated Blaschka glass exhibit, showcasing Harvard's rare and priceless collection of botanical samples crafted in glass. A first look is unimpressive: they're just plants. But the Blaschkas' skill to craft glass into something so delicate, beautiful, and lifelike remains unmatched.



After wandering around the museum, we grabbed lunch at the nearby food trucks and Micki and Grandma Judy headed home. We'll miss them dearly when they're gone, but we're so thankful we can make the most of their remaining time in Massachusetts!

thankful list | May 2016

01. post-wedding brunch at Nathan + Sara's house.
02. lunch with my parents.
03. hanging out with Karemy and Emma: we picked up where we left off, with one small addition.
04. driving by some of our favorite KC spots
05. dinner with mom and dad.
06. breakfast with Megan and Ollie.
07. a short, quick flight home.
08. a clothing swap with co-workers, which are always fun.
09. a birthday party for G, who turned four (what?!).
10. REUNION's leadership community.
11. a Home Depot and lunch run to prep for the afternoon.
12. a freshly painted kitchen (thanks, Micki!).
13. Toscanini's to celebrate.
14. a good morning at REUNION.
15. Mother's Day brunch at Sofra with Micki (Mom, I wish you could have been there too!).
16. a drizzly trip to Mount Auburn Cemetery.
17. a free repair for loose stitches on my favorite jeans.
18. unexpectedly finding the pendant light we wanted for the kitchen after it looked discontinued.
19. an impromptu dinner date at Tiger Mama.
20. the pig rice at Tiger Mama.
21. a Skype session with Luis and Torre: so good to see those faces.

22. celebrating our friend Ryan finishing his AREs.

23. Astrid lounging by our feet in the wee hours of the morning.
24. a fun multi-family rummage sale.

25. extra space after selling some old furniture that wasn't working in our new place.

26. a sidewalk chalk mani/pedi from two tiny nail technicians.
27. Nate, for helping us sand the garage doors in preparation for paint.

28. $2 meatball subs at Joe's.

29. beautiful spring weather.
30. a big setup team at REUNION that allowed us to handle some extra work with no stress.

31. knocking out the primer coat on the garage doors.

32. a hot shower after working in the cold (with Kansas wind).

33. an early bedtime.

34. safe travels for Ian on his business trip to Virginia.

35. getting my favorite jeans back after repairs.

36. a pit stop to see Ian's project under construction at Bristol Community College.
37. introducing Grandma Judy to Google Cardboard.
38. a fundraiser with Micki on the Cape... the entertainment was hit or miss, but the company wasn't.
39. lunch with Grandma Judy.
40. beach hopping.
41. a walk through the artist shanties in Hyannis.
42. Katie's ice cream.
43. grocery shopping at Wegmans.
44. freshly painted garage doors.
45. fun treats for Astrid (because our failed attempt to take her in for a nail trim required an apology).
46. Micki and Judy driving to Boston for the long weekend.
47. lunch at Cutty's.
48. a visit to the Gardner (their first), with a fresh look at old masterpieces.
49. an afternoon at the Crane Estate.
50. overcast weather for a quick beach stroll.
51. dinner at the Clam Box.
52. a family trip to the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
53. a parking spot in Cambridge (Ian had to hunt for a while).
54. the Blaschka glass collection being back on exhibit (after a haitus for restoration).
55. lunch at the Bon Me food truck.
56. dinner with friends at a new restaurant.

S plus N, or, the day Anna got her first sister

It feels like Nathan and Sara have been together forever, but records show it's only been about five years. I still remember when my family came to visit us in Boston and Nathan told us he had started dating someone. We knew it was serious even then, and their relationship has survived so much, including two years of long distance and a huge semi-DIY gut renovation of a sweet old house that needed a lot of love. We're so proud and thrilled that they've made it to this milestone, and we're so thankful we were able to celebrate with them!

We got into town Thursday morning before the wedding, and after lunch, Nathan debriefed me on all of the reception decorations details, because he was putting me in charge of ensuring their vision was executed (pressure!). We took care of all the flower arrangements that afternoon, with plenty of time to enjoy a cookout with Sara's family that evening.

The next day, we headed to the church to start decorating. Dad and Nathan left the hotel early, per Nathan's detailed timeline. Caleb, mom, Ian, and I soon followed, but due to a miscommunication, first arrived at the reception venue, then the police station across from the church. But we finally made it, and spent the entire day (with an amazing pizza break for lunch) turning the church's youth room into a wedding venue. Mission accomplished with plenty of time to prepare for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner (from Anna's Oven, which Nathan and Sara have been telling us we need to try for the years, and yes, it was worth the hype).

The next morning, we headed to the reception venue (we had no trouble getting there since we already practiced the day before) and got started with the decorations. We had a small army, and thankfully everything was almost finished and Nathan-approved by the time he and the groomsmen had to head out to get ready. We finished up the details (including a chalkboard sign Ian rocked and chilling all of the fun an obscure bottled sodas hand-picked by the bride and groom), and then grabbed lunch before heading back to the church to get ready.

The wedding was beautiful, we took some great family photos, and then headed to the reception. The details really made the space, the food was delicious, Sara's dad and the wedding party gave great speeches, and we had so much fun in the photo booth and on the dance floor. It was definitely a night to remember!

The next day, we had a family + wedding party brunch for gift opening, and then they took off for Colorado, while we enjoyed a little more time with family, and squeezed in a couple visits with some dear friends we miss. We even got to meet a new baby (congrats Karen and Jeremy!). And Megan kindly drove us to the airport after meeting up for breakfast the next morning.

It was a quick trip, but we're so thankful we could celebrate with them, and that they got hitched without a hitch. Sara, welcome to the family. We love you!

See the rest of our photos on Flickr. And don't miss their (way better than mine) official wedding photos!

thankful list | April 2016

01. Ian's bite-sized DR talk at the office (and the $2,356.01 our coworkers have given over the years).
02. REUNION slide creator training (because more help!).
03. figure skating on TV.
04. REUNION.
05. Super Cluckin' Sunday at Cutty's.
06. figure skating IRL (#worlds2016).
07. a great local grocery store.
08. Comedor with our dear friend Nate.
09. Tasty Burger — get the rise n' shine.
10. our second DR team meeting.
11. a visit from Micki.
12. another breakthrough with Astrid (hanging out in the kitchen, not under a table!).
13. a visit to IKEA.
14. a new sofa that makes our living room infinitely more functional.
15. a day to catch up on all our errands.
16. Tenoch after church with friends.
17. Sunday ice cream at Toscanini's.
18. a trip to Follain to restock some basics (they're so helpful and have such great stuff!).
19. no longer having to manage our office loaner laptops!
20. date night at Branch Line.
21. a successful nail trim appointment for Astrid.
22. a new laser pointer that works.
23. a pretty good first loaf of sourdough sandwich bread.
24. an UNDERØATH show with friends.
25. Astrid sleeping at the foot of the bed — she's still nervous, but so wants to be near us.
26. another marathon, and seeing the city at its best.
27. dinner with some of my best friends (who I don't see as often as I'd like!).
28. a good local library.
29. another trip to Comedor with a college friend who happened to be in town.
30. Shake Shack. I love me a ShackBurger with cheese fries.
31. ice cream at Katie's.
32. a great weekend on the Cape, squeezing in family time and the sights.
33. Cape Cod beaches.
34. an appreciation lunch for operations staff at work.
35. a fast and easy flight to MCI.
36. sushi with family.
37. an afternoon assembling flower arrangements and downloading the wedding decor plan.
38. a giant bride + groom family dinner.
39. a successful day of prepping the church for the wedding.
40. the pizza that showed up for lunch. SO GOOD.
41. a delicious rehearsal dinner (from Anna's, finally, after hearing about it for years).
42. a successful morning of decorating for the reception.
43. a not-so-great fast food lunch with  good company and good laughs.
44. getting semi-lost in KC with my other future sister-in-law, meaning extra time to hang out!
45. a beautiful wedding!
46. my first sister!
47. a beautiful reception!
48. seeing family and friends we love dearly.
49. meeting baby Emma.
50. Ian, my forever wedding date.

worlds 2016: a figure skating fan's dream comes true

Two years ago, Boston hosted Nationals for figure skating, and Ian and I went to the exhibition where we saw the entire US Olympic team, as well as every single US Olympic champion. #bestillmyheart

This year, Boston hosted Worlds, and once again we snagged tickets to the exhibition. I watched every moment of the competition that I could catch on TV in anticipation. (This required kicking Ian out of the house for March Madness viewing, because I figured a sports bar wouldn't carry figure skating. Just a guess.)

The day of the exhibition, we arrived early at the Garden and inadvertently bumped into the small medals ceremony for the pairs and ladies free skate (the top three finishers in the free skate, not to be confused with the overall top three finishers). After the awards were handed out, the medalists stuck around for a Q&A with the audience. Most of the questions came from elementary school girls, and I tried to imagine what it would have been like for 10-year-old Anna to have the opportunity to ask Michelle Kwan or Nancy Kerrigan a question (it would have probably involved tears and maybe passing out before actually saying anything). After they headed backstage to prepare for the exhibition, we made our way to our seats.

Exhibition performances may not be packed with technical difficulty, but they make up for it with fun and personality. It's fascinating to see what skaters choose to perform when they're freed from the requirements of competition and are skating simply because they love it. And I feel honored to have seen so many of the big names in figure skating, as well as up-and-coming skaters with lots of promise. I was especially excited to see Evgenia Medvedeva of Russia, whose competition performances left me transfixed, Papadakis and Cizerone of France, who set a new world record score for their free dance, and Patrick Chan of Canada, who's one of my favorites (perhaps in part because like Michelle Kwan, Olympic gold continues to elude him). Not to mention Yuzuru Hanyu, Mao Asada, and the Shibutanis. And I was in awe of 2016 World gold medalist Javier Fernandez of Spain. He's powerful but also brilliantly artistic in every last detail, and reminds me of Michelle Kwan at her best. I couldn't think of a more perfect skater to top off the Exhibition of Champions.

Helsinki 2017, anyone?

a weekend in New Hampshire

We were so excited to finally get out to New Hampshire to hang out with our friends Brett and Emily! We've known them almost as long as we've lived in Boston, and have experienced so much life with them, including adding their two amazing kids to the mix.



It was a short weekend, but we packed in a lot! They gave us a tour of the boarding school where Brett teaches and coaches (they live on campus) and we got in a quick drive by of the Tuck School of Business, where Emily works. We took a family hike, enjoyed a double date sans kids, and experienced brunch at King Arthur Flour, which I'm sure must be a mecca for bakers for both the store and bakery. (I picked up my sourdough starter there!) We also learned their hill is great for rolling.

But most importantly, we enjoyed our time with friends (big and little) that we don't get to see nearly as often as we'd like. Brett and Emily, G and P, we love you, we miss you, and we hope we can make it up to New Hampshire again soon!

thankful list | March 2016

01. hosting a community group friend for dinner.
02. our amazing community group.
03. Sara introducing me to Neko Astume: I'm not into phone games, but I couldn't resist kawaii kitties.
04. having A. Fox over for dinner.
05. leadership community.
06. lunch at Mei Mei with Enid (and a fun conversation about the Spanish language).
07. Danielle's birthday high tea at L'Espalier.
08. Winsor Dim Sum with our beloved Drs. Hu.
09. bubble tea for dessert.

10. breakfast with Kelly.
11. a successful errand run for pet supplies and groceries.
12. deviled tea eggs at Bon Me for said successful errand run.

13. a quick trip to town hall to get a cat license for Astrid (she's officially a resident!).
14. time with Micki and Grandma Judy.
15. rain inadvertently creating a temporary office art installation of colorful umbrellas.

16. a little reminder of home, with a group of K-Staters in the office for a tour.
17. new lights for our entryways.
18. Toscanini's.
19. REUNION.
20. Cutty's Super Cluckin' Sunday.
21. pulling off our DIY cat scratching post.
22. Meat Spot, because it's good to be known at a lunch spot.
23. a March Madness watch party at the office (mostly for the BBQ — thanks, Trey!)
24. an evening at Symphony Hall with a few of my favorite friends.
25. a road trip to New Hampshire to see the Nichols!
26. a (short) hike with the kiddos.
27. dinner with the grownups at Worthy Kitchen.
28. more catching up over post-dinner drinks, because we always wish we had more time with them.
29. King Arthur Flour, where I picked up sourdough starter. #aspiringbaker
30. a great library in easy walking distance.
31. successfully awakening my sourdough starter (it sounds like I adopted an alien).

21. a text letting me know that G randomly burst out how much she loves me.
26. the first photo of Astrid out of hiding.
27. figuring out the right frames for our gallery wall.
28. Easter with family (and friends!) on the Cape.
29. the beach.
30. finally getting our Make Good Old Try print framed (at the Framer's Workshop).
31. a new TV, which ended our months-long frustration of traffic interfering with our signal. #cutthecord
32. a house guest who's finally back from a year-long adventure (we're counting down to Danielle's return).

freezing in Vermont (with good friends!)

For the long President's Day weekend, we headed to Vermont for a holiday extravaganza with friends. We rented a giant lodge, divvied up meal duties, and planned out what local attractions we wanted to see. How often post-college do you get to spend so much time with friends?

It also turned out to be the coldest weekend New England has seen in decades. Thankfully, our new (to us) Honda Fit handled the weather like a champ. We made it out to to the lodge Friday night, arriving to a roaring fire, a big stack of firewood, and a whole bunch of awesome people. After dinner, we whiled away the evening by the fireplace with good tunes and good conversation (and maybe a little "Hotline Bling" on a toddler's ukulele, thanks to Ian).

The next morning, everyone decided to brave the cold for lunch. We caravanned into the great white wilderness until we reached The Blue Stone. Hot pizza tastes extra good when it's below zero outside. And logically, we decided to head to Ben & Jerry's for dessert. After enjoying our ice cream, our friend Alli agreed to join me for a quick walk to the Flavor Graveyard. It was so cold, my phone shut down. We took that as our cue to head back to the lodge. We spent another evening by the fireplace, only sneaking outside for a brief moment to learn that yes, boiling water tossed into frigid cold air disappears in a puff of snow. (For the record, the real-feel temperature hit 40 below.)

The next day was Valentine's Day. Because Ian knows the way to my heart, he drove the two of us to Cabot for a factory tour with lots of samples. We knew Cabot is a farmer's collective, but it was fascinating to learn exactly what that means (including how great it is for farmers). They are also continually working on sustainability. They save all the liquid from the cheesemaking process and through a reverse osmosis system, they're able to harvest the dried whey protein and reuse all the purified water. We also learned their muenster and jack cheeses are made from some of the same curds as cheddar. The difference is the curds for jack and muenster are rinsed once or twice, which inhibits aging and increases moisture content. After a lengthy wander through the Cabot store, we headed back to the lodge for another night around the fire, with lots of delicious cheese to share.

The next day we packed up and headed home, exploring Montpelier on the way. Hearts full, we were thankful for a weekend away from our daily lives and distractions. No matter the weather, we love spending time with friends, new and old!

thankful list | February 2016

01. soup club at the office, for the good food and the good company.
02. close proximity to a good library.
03. our community group.
04. a REUNION baptism celebration.
05. a date at Blackbird Doughnuts.
06. strolling through Niche. #crazyplantlady
07. hosting Kerwin for dinner (do you really have to move to California?).
08. hosting a Super Bowl party.
09. living so close to so many good friends
10. an apology painting from G (for missing our party because she acted up at naptime).

11. dinner at Tasty Burger.

12. our first DR team meeting (people showed up despite the snow!)
13. a weekend in Vermont with friends.
14. a big cozy lodge with a roaring fire to ward off record low temperatures.
15. Pizza at The Blue Stone.
16. a stop at Ben and Jerry's.
17. watching boiling water turn into snow when thrown outside in said low temps.
18. a Valentine's Day date at the Cabot Visitor Center.
19. a Valentine who knows my love language is cheddar cheese.
20. an evening in our old stomping ground.
21. dinner at Dorado.
22. watching the Oscar-nominated animated shorts with Ian (our oldest tradition).
23. the guys at Meat Spot.
24. a Skype with the Oaks (counting down to seeing them in person again).
25. a two-year-old birthday party (we love you, H!).
26. the Medfield Animal Shelter.
27. our new cat (she's still skittish terrified, but purrs like crazy when you pet her).
28. community group brunch.
29. the best pizza ever (with sausage and eggs, because brunch).
30. a night with friends at the Warren family taco truck.

and the 2016 nominees are...

This is Ian and I's eighth year watching the Oscar-nominated animated shorts (our sixth at the Coolidge Corner Theatre). While this year's nominees didn't feel as compelling overall as in previous years, we still enjoyed our continuing tradition. Our prediction record is now 3 for 5, counting just the years we've seen all the animated shorts. I'm still disappointed The Dam Keeper didn't win last year — Disney seems to be our prediction kryptonite. But especially since there's not a Disney short in the mix this year, here's hoping we're 4 for 6 after tonight!

Sanjay's Super Team — Sanjay, a first-generation Indian boy, loves super heroes. But when his beloved cartoons conflict with his father's Hindu prayers, he is forced to reconcile his western culture with his storied heritage. I can relate to Sanjay's experiences as a first-generation American trying to balance his two identities. Through an entertaining story and beautiful visuals, Pixar reminds us that a fresh perspective is sometimes all we need to bring different worlds together.

World of Tomorrow — A little girl suddenly finds herself transported to the world of the distant future, where humanity has made vast strides in the effort to extend life. The short finds laugh-out-loud humor through the juxtaposition of an innocent toddler with the strange experiences of her glitchy digital future self. This contrast also illustrates technological "progress" is not always what it seems, and the short manages to deeply explore questions of life and what it means to be human. Its minimalist but clever animation is fresh and incredibly fitting. This is our bet to take home the Oscar.

Bear Story (Historia de un Oso) — An old bear spends his days as a street entertainer, telling his life story as a kidnapped circus bear through an intricate and beautiful mechanical diorama. The diorama is a unique and impressive storytelling device, but I felt the story itself was missing an intangible spark.

We Can't Live Without Cosmos — From the director of Lavatory, Love Story, this short follows two lifelong friends as they train to be cosmonauts, following their shared dream of making it to the stars. With delightful bits of humor sprinkled in, Cosmos explores the idea of shared dreams, friendship, and failure.

Prologue — The ancient war between Sparta and Athens is brought into sharp, hand drawn detail as four warriors battle to the death. This was a graphic and intense short, noted as "not suitable for young viewers." The well composed animation with realistic human rendering was astounding, but the story itself wasn't as thought-provoking as I would have hoped, given the dark and deep subject matter.

Highly Commended Shorts

If I Was God — A middle school boy daydreams about ultimate power during a science class frog dissection. The claymation was a perfect medium for this hilariously awkward coming of age story. We've enjoyed all the selections we've seen out of Canada's NFB, which produced Bus Story in 2015 and Wild Life and Sunday/Dimanche in 2012, and this year did not disappoint.

The Short Story of a Fox and a Mouse — A mouse, alone and without cover, escapes one danger only to enter a bigger predicament. But an unexpected alliance at the right moment can change everything. The pale winter scenes and bright animals were a beautiful way to tell a sweet if predictable story.

The Loneliest Stoplight — At the intersection of two local roads, an old stoplight tells his life story, from installation to obsolescence to one shining moment thanks to a pileup on the freeway. It's a classic story of small town charm versus the efficiency of progress, retold through an unexpected lens. This was another solid short from Bill Plympton, the animator behind last year's Footprints and one of our all-time favorites, The Cow Who Wanted to be a Hamburger.

Catch It — A meerkat family has been anticipating the day they can finally enjoy the fruitful bounty of a nearby tree. When a vulture swoops in and steals their prize, the meerkats fight back, only to learn sometimes victory isn't so sweet.

As always, we enjoyed all of the shorts, and highly recommend catching them if you have the opportunity. Have fun watching the Oscars, and may the best films win!

*update: we predicted World of Tomorrow, but Bear Story took home the Oscar.

2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015

our 2015 Christmas letter

2015: it wasn’t boring. In fact, it was so not boring that Ian and Anna didn’t have enough time in the year to write their annual awkward third-person Christmas letter. They kindly ask you to light a balsam-scented candle and eat sugar cookies while you read this, in hopes you won’t notice it’s kind of really late.

thankful list | January 2016

01. more time with Grandma Marilyn (and Susan and Debbie).
02. podcasts for a long drive (any Limetown fans out there?).
03. a visit with Uncle Jim.
04. a glimpse of Manhattan's Light Festival.
05. an evening of YouTube videos at Nathan and Sara's (almost) finished renovation.
06. seeing Winston again (thanks, Joey!).
07. KC barbecue.
08. catching up with Megan (everyone else, we'll catch you in 2016!).
09. board games, to console after a disappointing bowl game.
10. a quick direct flight home.
11. catching Super Cluckin' Sunday (to date, we've only missed one — for our now home's open house).
12. a visit from neighbors, one a little Elsa who played tiny football with Ian.
13. catching up on Castle.
14. sleeping in our own bed again.
15. getting back into our routine.
16. delicate snow flurries out the window (because snow makes cold more bearable).
17. new clothes, because I was feeling the shortage in my minimalist wardrobe.
18. a save the date magnet for April (counting down to my first official, legal sister!).
19. yoga, especially after the holidays.
20. flowers from Ian, because white spider mums are perfect for winter.
21. time with Micki.
22. a short work week.
23. a new light in our dining room.
24. a new episode of Sherlock.
25. a chimney inspection (one step closer to using our fireplace).
26. laughing with Ian.
27. a copyediting project at work.
28. an evening at Lesley, for Amy's graduation reading (she's incredible!)
29. info sessions for the 2016 DR trip.
30. community group.
31. a lost earring found (because the pair was a gift from Ian).
32. an evening with Kristin & Co.
33. play-doh at REUNION, to remind us we were meant to be creative.
34. hanging out with G + P before community group (babysitting success!).
35. a weekend on the Cape.

Christmas in Kansas 2015

Our most recent annual trip back to Kansas for the holidays was super low key. We headed to the airport super early on December 24, and arrived in Kansas City with time to run a few errands in Manhattan before continuing on to the farm. We got our wedding rings cleaned, picked up a few things at the Dusty Bookshelf, grabbed a quick drink at Bluestem and a dozen Varsity donuts for Christmas morning, and took the long way out of town past Snyder Family Stadium.

After a long day of travel, we decided to have our own Julotta at home, instead of staying up until midnight at church. Grandma, Dad, and Ian led us in the traditional singing of "Lyssna" before turning in.

Alas, an evening nestled all snug in our bed was not in the cards. Ian came down with the stomach flu and spent all of Christmas day sick and confined to the bedroom (where he slept, ate crackers, and watched Interstellar on his laptop). Thankfully, it was just a 24-hour bug, and even with 12 people and 1 dog under the same roof, no one else caught it! (Although I still feel bad Ian wasn't able to enjoy Grandma's famous potato sausage.) To celebrate his recovery, the next night we went on a family outing to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It felt so appropriate to watch with my dad, who is responsible for introducing me and my brothers to the originals. It was Brian and Ellen's first Star Wars movie, and I think they're hooked now, too.

Due to a forecasted blizzard, we bumped up our departure by one day, strategically planning our route to completely miss the snow. Dad decided to stay in case Grandma needed help after the storm, while we headed west with my mom, making sure to introduce her to Jiffy Burger on the way (cheese balls!).



We spent the night at my parents' house before heading south to Dodge to spend time with Ian's aunts and Grandma Marilyn. We went to Grandma's favorite haunts (the beauty shop and Hobby Lobby, specifically), and spent lots of quality time hanging out at the hospital for her antibiotic infusions (with Matlock to keep us company).

For our anniversary, we snuck out to Garden City for dinner. Mom and Dad recommended Pho Hoa. New Year's Eve didn't seem to be a popular night for dinner out on the town, but it was fun to have the place basically to ourselves, and the food and service were amazing (not to mention they have an inspiring story)!

A few days later, and we headed back east, stopping once again in Manhattan to say hi to Uncle Jim before completing our circuit in Kansas City. Nathan was kind enough to host us, and we had so much fun hanging out with him, Sara, and Joey (and Chance, Luna, and Winston!). We went to a giant dog park, enjoyed one of their favorite neighborhood barbecue joints, and played lots of board games. (Nathan and Joey have one of the most impressive collections of obscure board games I've ever seen.) Megan was even able to stop by to watch the bowl game (which we'd rather not relive).

The next morning, we headed out early to the airport. A quick flight later, and we were back home in time to catch Super Cluckin' Sunday. Christmas miracle!

thankful list | December 2015

01. a good dentist appointment (thanks again for fluoride treatments, Mom!).
02. figuring out how to decorate our new place for Christmas.
03. candlepin bowling with REUNIONers.
04. Super Cluckin' Sunday, always.
05. a farewell dinner for a friend moving to LA (Jeff, don't forget us when Night Lights blows up).
06. surprising friends with dinner when they had to cancel on a work holiday party. #kidcrisis
07. a K-State Christmas party.
08. making a gingerbread house with G.
09. Advent Conspiracy.
10. a Star Wars marathon (episodes IV-VI) with amazing brunch (thanks J&E!).
11. cheese curds straight from Wisconsin. #lovethatsqueak
12. our Christmas tree at night.
13. the office holiday party.
14. photobooths with Ian. #wewinallthephotobooths
15. a morning in Coolidge Corner thanks to an eye appointment.
16. meeting new people at a friends' Christmas party.
17. dinner with some amazing ladies before heading home for the holidays.
18. a visit to Manhattan.
19. Varsity Donuts... especially d is for donut and the one that's like a Caramel deLite.
20. hot beverages at Bluestem.
21. a pit stop at the Bill.
22. sunset on the family farm.
23. a barn full of cats.
24. Lyssna with Grandma (because we couldn't manage to stay up for the Julotta).
25. time with family (even though Ian got sick).
26. watching our canine nephew, Chance, make friends with a barn kitten.
27. snow changing our travel plans, meaning an unexpected and fantastic car ride with mom.
28. dinner at Jiffy Burger. #eatallthecheeseballs
29. an evening in my hometown.
30. Christmas with Ian's family.
31. a trip to Hobby Lobby with Grandma Marilyn.
32. an awesome anniversary with my favorite person.
33. an unexpected and delicious anniversary dinner at Pho Hua in Garden City.
34. Freddy's frozen custard for dessert.
35. eight years of marriage: harder and better than I could have imagined.
36. Ian. Always.