The weekend recap

We had a great weekend!  Saturday was jam-packed with activities.  I ran about 5 miles in the morning, then swung by our friends' house to check on their cats while they're out of town, I laid out a bit, then got ready to go to the cookout.  After all of your amazing suggestions for hostess gifts, I ended up picking up a box of fine chocolates from a local chocolatier.  (but I will definitely use the recommendations for future hostess gifts -- thanks again for taking the time to send them to me!) The coach's wife is an absolutely amazing cook (and just about the sweetest woman ever), and she made all of the food (including a delish sangria served in a watermelon...so adorable!) for about 40 people.  We had a lot of fun chatting it up with everyone there.  It was hard to tear ourselves away to go to the concert!  We flew home, let the dogs out, fed them, and then drove to the amphitheater.  When we got out of the car we could already hear Lady Antebellum singing "American Honey" -- I'm just glad we were actually able to hear it!  They didn't play nearly as long as I would have liked, but I guess that's what happens when they're the opening band and not the headliner.  Tim McGraw surely didn't disappoint.  Man - he is such a good entertainer!  He just had so much energy, and his voice sounded so good the entire time.  He played song after song -- hitting all the good classics, as well as some of the ones off his newer "Southern Voice" album.  It was a lot of fun, and thank goodness, the weather held out the whole time!!  (side note:  I bought actual seats for this concert instead of lawn seats.....I think that officially makes me old!!)

I totally forgot to take pics like I'd hoped to do, but here's a snapshot of my outfit for the festivities:

 

Top:  Lilly

Shorts:  Banana Republic

Clutch:  Kate Spade (mine's actually a soft pink....but it's several years old)

Pearls:  Gift

Jacks:  Nordstrom

Hostess Gift:  Fancy Chocolates

Guess what starts tomorrow!!

2009 Winners:  Roger Federer and Serena Williams

Last year's men's final was an instant classic.  Federer vs. Roddick.  It was a brutal five-setter, ending in Fed's favor, 16-14 in the 5th set.  With the win, Federer broke Sampras' unbelievable record of 14 Grand Slam titles.  

Photo credits

Crisp white tennis outfits, the All England Club, royal fans, the speed of the game on grass, breakfast at Wimbledon, and the rich traditions of the world's oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament.  What's not to love?

Happy Father's Day

Photo circa 2002, Germany...in the city where my grandparents (Dad's parents) were born.  I believe I told him to show some "German pride" in this pic....hence the poses.  In classic Dad form, he followed suit.  One of my favorite memories with Dad is walking to elementary school with him on Thursday mornings.  We would play some sort of "follow the leader" game where I always ended up doing goofy walks or dances just to see him do them in front of our neighbors' houses in the light of day.  It made me giggle without fail.

Our family has grown a lot in the last decade.   My parents have gained a daughter-in-law, two son-in-laws, and six grandchildren (3 boys, 3 girls).  Dad continues to tell all of us that you "can't tell a book by it's cover," "all you can do is the best you can," and "don't play with fire or you'll get burned."  He is known around our house as the baby-whisperer, the grapefruit slicer, the vacation planner, the bed-time story and Sunday comics reader, the Scrabble guru, and the pancake and waffle maker!  At age 60-something he continues to be a real force on the tennis court.  He still may run around his backhand more often than not, but he doesn't miss a serve, and he will hit all out on his forehand until the cows come home!

 So here's to you, Dad -- Happy Father's Day to the best Dad around!  XOXO!

If you need a black purse...

This Kate Spade purse is the black one I carry now (well, it's a little more for Fall/Winter), and it is perfect for me in every way:  size, material, durability, and most of all PRICE!  Right now on the Sample Sale site it's only $99....for a genuine KS that will last you for years, that is an awesome deal.  I still may or may not be totally stalking the purse below (ok, who am I kidding - I AM stalking it.  I can't stop looking at it.  It is sooooo me.  I'm fairly certain it will be mine!) 

This morning I woke up early and ran 4 miles with Daisy.  It has taken me a couple weeks to fully recover from the 1/2 marathon.  I had some weird tendinitis issues in my left achilles and right tendon beneath my foot.  Fortunately both seem to be totally fine again.  Poor SB is still recovering....his achilles has been hurting too.  Side note:  icing contraptions have gotten so much better.....we found an amazing icepack with built-in velcro!  Gone are the days of frozen peas and an ace bandage!

Tomorrow is going to be amazing.  I'm going to run, lay out at our friend's pool, go to the coach's cookout party, and then SB and I are going to see Tim McGraw and Lady A at a nearby amphitheater!  CAN'T WAIT!  Love the weekend!!!!  I may just get a pedicure over lunch today in preparation for the fun :)  (as long as the pedicurist won't mind the still lingering disgustingness from the 1/2!)

How is it already Wednesday???

This week is absolutely flying by!  A few updates:

• We're hosting a couple of SB's new co-workers for dinner tonight.  Just a casual cookout -- burgers, brats, strawberry spinach salad, chips, key lime pie and cookies for dessert.
• KNOCK ON WOOD....but a certain puppy *might* just be potty-trained.  No puddles in 2 weeks.  I am surely jinxing her by posting this because that is just my luck....but this is monumental!!
• I am doing my best to exhibit some SERIOUS self-control from going crazy on the Kate Spade sample sale site (thanks, Preppy Sue for posting this....my favorite purse ever was ruined the day before my wedding --- and its "cousin" (same fabric/colors....different style) is listed for a good price....but I'm supposed to be saving.....agghhhhh)) 

This and that....

• Happy Anniversary to my parents!  They're celebrating 46 fabulous years together today. 
• The Race for the Cure was a big success, but holy smokes - it was like 92 degrees, with 92% humidity.  Needless to say, we didn't set any records, but it was fun to experience the huge turnout.  My favorite shirts said "Save Second Base!"  Plus there were a couple of pink poodles, a bunch of pink tutus, and a pink fire engine with fire fighters decked out in pink gear to boot!  Really cute.
• I got my hair cut this weekend, and for the first time in my life I think I need to call them to get things re-cut.  Right now I have a bunch of random bits that are longer than others, and I'm probably obsessing over it more than I should...but it's hard to ignore.  The appointment ended oddly anyways -- she had cut it dry, and then said she'd re-shape after color and shampoo, but then forgot about it and I didn't have a chance to really check things out before leaving - so I only noticed when I got home.  
• We took Daisy and Lilly to a dog park with a big pond...it was tons of fun!  Daisy swam from one end of the pond to the other, chasing after tennis balls left and right.  Lilly was a little more apprehensive about the water.  She had a pesky dog that kept nipping at her heels, but she loved chasing some other dogs around, and did manage to do a little swimming too.
• I need to find a good hostess gift!!  We're going to a work get-together for SB next weekend, hosted by the head coach and his wife and I have no idea what to bring.  We don't think they drink, so we are brain-storming, but we haven't come up with anything good so far!  We don't know them that well, but I would hate to show up empty-handed.  All ideas are welcomed :)

Racing for a cure....

Tomorrow SB and I will be running the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure with 70,000 of our closest friends.  That's right.  70,000.  It just broke the record for the world's largest 5k.  It will be interesting to see how packed the run will be (maybe the crowd will spread out enough to work up to a trot??).  The Race for the Cure (Madison) was the first race I ever ran.  My sister and I did it together a few years in a row.  The first year the organizers had to shorten the course to 1 mile because the majority of it had flooded the night before.  At the time, I hadn't really been running, and I couldn't have been more thrilled to find out that we'd only have to run 1 mile.  Funny how things change!

This year SB and I will be running to celebrate two women in particular who are battling breast cancer right now (the mother of the best man in our wedding, and our SIL's mom).  If you haven't ever participated in a Race for the Cure event, I highly suggest you check it out.  You can run it or walk it, but the feeling of unity among women is really touching.  It is tragic to see how many lives are affected by the awful c-word, but it is empowering to see how many people are committed to finding a cure.

Reliving a favorite....

My 9-year-old niece recently discovered one of my favorite cartoons:  Calvin and Hobbes!  It's so fun to see her enjoying it as much as I did when I was her age (side note:  saying things like that makes me feel old!)

I've already purchased part of her Christmas present....one of the big anthologies of "the BEST of Calvin & Hobbes."  I know she'll love it.  (I also found a good Far Side one too....both were on big time sale!)

Things that make me go "hmmm???"

• Is it just me, or are the biggest loser t-shirts just 100% cotton t’s?  They look like it…and it always makes me feel so badly for the contestants.  They’re just sweating away in those awful, clingy, soaked-to-the-bone t-shirts when there’s such a great substitute – dry-fit, anyone!?  Maybe it’s purely aesthetic, and the producers just want them to look as sweaty as can be??

• Does it seem that Amanda Seyfried’s last 2 movies are the same?  I mean, granted I’ve only seen the commercials/previews – but “Letters to John” and “Dear Juliet” seem strikingly similar!

• Is it just me, or are there a lot of sponsorships that don’t seem quite right?  Like the pairing of Diet Coke and the American Heart Association….now don’t get me wrong, I do love some DC – but I’m pretty sure it’s not “good for your heart.”  Same goes for McDonalds and the Olympics….french fries and elite athletes don’t seem to mix in my opinion.  I mean, kudos to the companies for supporting great causes – but it still doesn’t seem quite right!

• The Dutch sleeze-ball admitted to killing the woman in Peru.  I have a feeling he should be making a few more admissions regarding another certain-someone’s death.  He just makes my skin crawl.

• How in the world can it be okay to allow off-shore drilling without some sort of emergency cut-off valve?  I am just sickened by the pictures of how the oil spill is ruining the Gulf --  its pristine water, beautiful beaches and wildlife.   It’s hard not to feel just completely helpless – and I can only imagine the heartache/panic for the people living in the communities that will be directly affected by the spill.  I sincerely hope they can come up with a quick fix….because the thought of that continuing into the Fall is just outrageous.  We need new, environmentally-friendly, renewable energy sources pronto.

These are a few of my favorite things....

An unexpected hug from behind from my husband (bonus points for back rub and/or kisses)

Cold-nosed puppy-dog kisses

An ACE!

 Finding that perfect item…..on SALE!

 Running with my husband and dog

Warm chocolate chip cookies

 A blooming flower

 Husbands returning home after traveling

Ice cream on a hot day!

 Hair and spa appts

Backyard BBQs with friends

 Holiday meals with family

 Free time to read 

(this is what I'm currently reading)