Hair Challenge: One Year!

I made it a full year–actually 13 months–and have been meaning to get a post up about it for the last, oh, four weeks or so.

Here’s me and my bob, back in the hotel we lived in last summer:

You’ve seen countless photos along the way, including this January progress report, and below is a shot of perhaps my favorite longer-hair style, the pigtail braids:

Here I am today, all dressed up for a presentation I gave in class:

It’s SO LONG!

And then, later this afternoon, this happened:

Yup, I chopped it. In all honesty, I’ve been missing my shorter style and realizing (just as I do EVERY time I attempt to grow it out), that all I end up doing with my hair is pull it back into a ponytail. And I can’t stop twirling it–especially with all the stress I’m experiencing–and I couldn’t take the breakage anymore.

Combine all that with a DESPERATE need for a trim (my last was in July!), and you get one tangled mess each morning in the shower. So, I called the salon for their first available, which happened to be this afternoon. On my way over, I googled “Julia Stiles Haircuts” and showed this to my stylist, Karen. I don’t know what it is, but that girl–Julia, not Karen–and I can rock the same bob like no ones’ business. Works every time.

And, viola! New style:

Man, it’s good to be back 🙂

lasagna, applesauce, cupcakes, pancakes and East Aurora

Saturday morning, Wendy, the kids and I walked to the farmer’s market in search of Idared apples for making applesauce. A couple weeks ago, Mrs. Nye gave me some applesauce to try and I couldn’t believe how good it was. I decided the weekend Wendy was here would be an excellent time to do some canning. (Turns out Wendy isn’t that much of a canner; instead she preps everything and freezes MASS amounts of food all the time. While single-handedly watching two youngsters running all over the house. And her husband is never home because he’s an ortho-surgery resident at Hershey Medical Center. Just call her super-mom.)

Our walk was a little challenging; the walk to the farmer’s market is A LOT longer with two little kids, and hot chocolate got everywhere. But, we succeeded in buying the apples and made a quick trip into Tops to get the ingredients for dinner.

Upon returning home and cleaning up some hot chocolate-covered jeans, we all–even Andrew–headed out for brunch at Charlie’s.

Natalie snacked on some jam packets while we waited for our food. Andrew and I split a daily special and I enjoyed my usual blueberry pancake; Wendy and Natalie split a ham and cheese omelet. Baby Austin happily snacked on some Cheerios in a high chair next to us. After lunch, Andrew went home while the rest of us went shopping at Fisher Price.

Instead of spending the afternoon on Main Street later that afternoon like we thought, Wendy and I prepped my favorite lasagna for dinner, while the kids napped.

Gary, Wendy’s hubby and “daddy,” called while we were finishing up and they got to video chat. Adorable. We missed you here, Gary!

Later that evening, we all–Andrew, too–headed out to Firefly for cupcakes. Natalie enjoyed a Vanilla Birthday Cake, although she ate mostly the icing.

I worked on the applesauce while Wendy put the kiddos to bed and by the end of the night, we had seven pint jars to put away.

This morning, I went for my usual run at Chestnut Ridge with my running group–friends from school–and then came home to a very awake group!

I made pumpkin pancakes, served with a little applesauce (what wouldn’t fit into our jars last night) and maple syrup butter. Andrew dined on two (well, one and a half) Manhattan Bagel “everything” bagels–I snacked on one on my way home from my run.

And the rest of the pancakes? Into the freezer they went!

Natalie and Austin went down for an early nap after brunch, so Wendy and I headed out to Main Street and hit Vidler’s first. I was totally impressed; Vidler’s is a big, busy place with people and stuff EVERYWHERE, and we simply wheeled around with a two-year-old and a stroller. Wendy never once lost her cool. She picked up some stocking stuffers and then we headed to Taste for a break and snacks.

After Taste, we toured the rest of Main Street, including the sewing store (where Wendy bought some fabric to make Natalie a dress–again, she’s domestic like that), Fowler’s (sponge candy and chocolate wings for Gary!) and Toy Loft. Let’s just say Natalie and Austin made out on this trip in terms of presents.

We made a quick trip to Tops for Andrew-requests (zip-lock baggies and vanilla ice cream) then headed home to get the kids fed and in bed. Us adults are watching the last available episode of Breaking Bad (Andrew is addicted, and I fear Wendy might be now, too), drinking wine and using our technology–Wendy her phone, me my blog and Andrew his Netflix.

It’s been so fun having Wendy and her kids here. She’s an amazing mom (seriously, I am in such awe) and it’s so touching she braved the trip solo to come visit. I hope she had as much fun as I did 🙂 I’m so blessed to have had (and still have!) such great girlfriends from college.

visitors!

We have visitors this weekend!

My girlfriend, Wendy, and her two kiddos came from Hershey, Pa., to visit for the weekend. Wendy and I were friends in college and she was one of my bridesmaids in my wedding.

As usual, we had Pasquale’s pizza and wings for dinner.

I think Natalie liked the orange she was eating more than the pizza, but Wendy loved both the pizza and wings, and baby Austin was happy to be held.

We built a fort for them–Austin is the happiest baby EVER.

Natalie is enamored of the “kitty cat” and would love nothing more than to cuddle and play with Odie every moment.

Wendy also came bearing a gift – another t-shirt quilt! Awhile ago, I sent Wendy a bunch of old t-shirts to make into a quilt for me (she’s domestic like that), and it is finished 🙂 I figured I’d much rather pay her to do it than some random stranger online. I’m sewing-challenged; my aunt helped me make my first t-shirt quilt.

Andrew’s still bed- and couch-bound, but I think he’s up for doing brunch/lunch today at Charlie’s, and then Wendy and the kids and I are going to spend some time on Main Street after their naps. I think Andrew might meet us at Firefly for a cupcake break later on, too…

Right now, we’re cleaning up from breakfast and us non-gimps are headed to the farmers’ market!