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A few of you asked what happened to Saturday Shoes. Well, the year of the shoe fast actually left me wanting less shoes. Imagine that! However, holidays are always a fun reason to celebrate, and to whip up an idea board, so here you go.


If I were planning my perfect Fourth of July, it would be spent on a boat. I would bring my blueberry cake and a cooler of popcicles. I would rock a patriotic bathingsuit in gingham or solid blue. And I would add a touch of sparkle with starfish earrings and adorable sandals. It would be a day filled with good friends and maybe even some water skiing, capped off by fireworks of course! What would your imaginary Fourth of July look like?

My big boy. Every day you continue to amaze me with the things you have learned and the new skills you acquire. This month you have perfected the art and timing of waving goodbye and saying "bye-bye" on cue. You even get a bit annoyed when people do not acknowledge your parting sentiment. You have also added "ball" and "more" to the list of most commonly understood words.

You love bath time more than ever, however you are NOT a fan of bubble baths. You like your bathwater clear so you can see your piggy toes. During bath time, you like to dump cups of water on your head (you carry this activity to pool time too!) and line up your rubber duckies.

Your favorite foods still include spinach quesadillas, you love blueberries more than ever, and meatballs have become a new dinner time staple.

You love climbing up on our rocking chair and get great joy out of making it rock yourself.

You have also begun to try to put your shoes on yourself.

This past month we have spent less time at the park and more time with a pool or a sprinkler. Each time, it takes you a little while to warm up to the water. You are not as willing to jump right in like last summer. But I am hopeful that when it comes time for us to visit the beach, you love it as much as you have before.

We have been playing so hard this month that sometimes you still take two naps on the weekends. And at those times, I remember that you are still my little baby, and not such a big boy after all.

Since you all asked for more pictures of Behr, he decided to take it upon himself to begin asking people to sponsor our blog. Here is a funny picture of Behr that otherwise would not have made it to the blog.  He and the Mr. Ducky, (other aliases include, giant chew toy, teething toy, bath buddy, and rubber ducky) had a lengthy conversation in my parents front yard. It was too hilarious not to capture. If only we had it on video.




So what do you say?

We would love to have you as a sponsor. There are a limited number of spots available, and giveaways are offered on a first come first serve basis. I accept new sponsors any day of the month, but spots are filling up. If you are interested, email me.

I love asparagus. It may be one of my favorite parts of Spring. Weird, right? When I was pregnant with Behr I hated the smell. Recently I told Mark that eating asparagus was one of the best parts of not being pregnant. Forget 18 weeks of morning sickness, the constant trips to the bathroom, sleepless nights, and general discomfort...hating asparagus was one of the worst parts of pregnancy. Therefore my logic makes sense. Asparagus is a perk of not being knocked up. Yup, I said it.

But I've got another random bit about asparagus. I think it completely gets the shaft in the veggie tales theme song. The asparagus family are key characters in most veggie tale shows. So why don't they get a mention? Just because their name is awkward doesn't mean they should be excluded. The song writers should have gotten a bit more creative.

Phew, glad I got that off my chest.

I was going to share a delicious brunch meal (including asparagus!) with you, but instead I am going to ask you questions a la Bridget. She had so much fun asking her readers questions, she encouraged me to do the same. So I am blatantly copying Bridget, at her request, with slightly different questions. I'd really love to learn more about you! Here is goes:

I grew up outside of philadelphia, what some may call the "main line" but I like to say I am a philly girl. I live in DC now, and am starting to really call this home.

I'm a 28 year old lady. But recently I forgot that I was only 28 and called myself 29 for about two months straight. #excitedabout30?

I read about 6-8 blogs regularly plus a handful of close RL/BB (real life before blogging) friends. I like finding new blogs, but feel pressure to keep up with them, so I slink back to my long time faves. If you have a great blog recommendation, throw it at me!

I work to pay the bills, but I blog and run my etsy shop for fun, and in an effort to change my lifestyle. I would love if this online community that I love so much supported me enough to spend my days home with Behr. I also really like to take pictures, be with family, cook seasonally, and travel.

I love that Bridget boldly asks this. I struggle with how to ask this/express this on my blog. So here I go, throwing it out there. I am a Christian, a woman of God, who believes that Jesus is my Saviour. We call myself Presbyterian, more specifically PCA, but I don't always pay close attention to the details that make that distinction between traditionally Protestant churches.

While I am a plant lover, I could never give up meat, or dairy, or wheat. {gasp!} Sometimes I wonder how I can be a blogger and not be on a vegan, gluten-free, raw diet, and give up all cane sugar and only eat one square of dark chocolate per day. I like to think I am a budding foodie, but I focus more on eating seasonally and locally with a healthy dose of moderation. That being said, my favorite food (as mentioned before too many times to count) is hands down a philly cheesesteak. But when it comes to vegetables, I will choose asparagus over brussels sprouts {another audible gasp from bloggers everywhere}

If nothing else, June is the month of cousins. I have four cousins under the age of five who are already best buds with Behr. This will be the third weekend in June we get to spend hanging out them. I am so grateful that Behr will have family around his age growing up. It makes our family gatherings that much more entertaining. One thing is certain, there is bound to be good food, giggles, and lots of pictures.

Welcome to nine to five, a blog series to inspire your wardrobe and provide a punch of energy to your work week. Today we have Bianca, a marathon runner, with a positive attitude towards life balance, in search of the perfect kelly green dress, circa 1950. {A Lust for All Seasons} Ooh, don't forget to check out her style with Alex!


 :: Describe your work environment from a style perspective (i.e. traditional business professional, stuffy corporate, laid back artsy, kid friendly, etc.) ::
I work in a super small office as a digital marketing manager. About 75 percent of the time, I'm the only one in, and there are never more than 5 people total. As a result, I have complete freedom when it comes to what I wear -- I can pretty much wear whatever I want (hence the hot pink pants). That said, I believe that dressing well and professionally makes you a better worker so even though I could get away with it, you'll never see me in a sweatshirt or anything too casual.

 :: What are your nine to five staples? (go to brands, or key items) ::
I live in blazers, wrap dresses, and boots in the winter/flats in the summer. I'd love to be the kind of girl who can rock 4 inch heels from 9 to 5 but the reality is, I commute via T and do A LOT of walking. I also recently became a fan of stylish backpacks. I carry so much stuff with me -- my lunch, my camera, my gym clothes -- and it was getting ridiculously heavy. I decided backpacks were hip again and rock this one on the regular.

 :: Does blogging make you a better employee at your day job? ::
I think my blog and my day job help each other out. I'm constantly learning something about social media, website tracking, SEO, audience engagement, etc. that I can use in both my lives.

 :: Do you view blogging as a means of recording life, or as the start of an alternative career? :: 
It's definitely more to record my life. But that said, I also think it's a great way to make new friends and connect with others who have similar interests to you! It's hard to meet new people when you're done with college and working full time and I find blogging is a great way to create a new sense of community.

 :: Is blogging your main outlet, or do you also write novels, run marathons, and knit all of your own sweaters? ::
I'm a big runner and I'm training for my second marathon in October. Running is a way for me to collect my thoughts and daydream -- and the blog is where I share those thoughts with the world.

 :: How do you find time to do it all? When do you blog? ::
Blogging is fun for me and I don't ever want it to not be fun so if I don't feel like blogging, I won't. I'd rather have quality content over quantity and if I don't have time -- too much work, too much running --- then I sit the day or week out.

 :: Finaly, what have you been pinning lately? What are the items you are just dying to add to your work wardrobe? ::
I'm super into sheath 1950s-style dresses. I want one in kelly green and I'd wear it with a cheetah print belt and magenta pumps. I can't find one anywhere so please let me know if you have any idea where I can find one. And in terms of pinning -- I recently got engaged so it's a lot of wedding stuff. And by wedding stuff I mean wedding hair and bridesmaid dresses.



We are thrilled to have hosted Bianca today. Be sure to check out all of here secrets to getting this look over on the saga of a twenty-something! Psst...have a question you would love answered? Or want to be featured as part of this series? email us!

We've been beating the summer heat by going to Yards Park. It is one of our favorite places in DC. With free out door concerts, movies, and food trucks galore, it is a great way to spend the day. Last summer, Behr absolutely loved the water and was quick to giggle when getting sprayed by the fountain. This summer he was a bit hesitant, and our friend Bella had to teach Behr the ropes.

Washington DC is full of fun things to do all year round and summer gets even better. Here are my top choices for free music and movies:

Music:

Millennium Stage - Every evening the Kennedy center offers a free concert or performance on their side stage.


The Marine Evening Parade at Barracks Row - Friday evenings throughout the summer for a healthy dose of patriotism. Reservations recommended.

Jazz in the Garden - Friday evenings at the National Gallery of Art. Sit by the fountain, enjoy jazz and lots of company. Admission is free. The cafe sells wine. Crowds arrive early, be sure to bring a blanket and a picnic.

Twilight Tattoo - military concerts every Friday night near Iwo Jima. First come, first serve.

Yards Park - The recently transformed Navy Yard park features outdoor concerts every Friday night. The area food trucks have picked up on the crowds, so food options abound.

Movies:

DC is home of outdoor movies with Screen on the Greens featured in NoMa, Rosslyn, Capitol Riverfront, Crystal City, U Street, and more, but the main attraction is movies on the National Mall (located between 7th and 12th Street). This year’s series schedule:

• Monday, July 16th: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 
• Wednesday, July 25th: It Happened One Night
• Monday, July 30th: From Here to Eternity 
• Monday, August 6th: Psycho
• You can check on status of these movies via facebook and twitter

A generation has passed. In saying goodbye to Yia-yia, a chapter of my family closed. All of my grandparents have passed away. It is something I never realized would happen. That sounds crazy. People die. But the concept never really sunk in.

Growing up, I had the blessing of knowing not only my four grandparents, but also three great-grandmothers. In fact, one of my great-grandmothers lived until my senior year of college, knew Mark well, and often would tease him for great-great-grandkids even though we weren't married yet.

I always pictured my own children having the same experience.

Behr will not listen to my Yia-yia singing in Greek. He will never eat her cooking, although my sisters and I will try our best to replicate the recipes she spent years teaching us. Behr will not learn his exercises from Yia-yia, nor will he learn anything else directly from my grandparents. It is my responsibility to carry on their legacy, to share their story, to pass down the lessons.

Yia-yia was a constant in my life. She was at our dinner table several nights a week, she joined us on nearly every family vacation, and fortunately she taught simple lessons early and often. I had the opportunity to give remarks at her memorial, and here is what I remembered:

Always be prepared to feed your guests. If you and your family came over my house unexpectedly, while I may get flustered, I will have enough food to feed you. (even if your family dinners are like mine, about 20 people!)

The importance of saying I love you. Yia-yia said I love you often. She made us pause and look her in the eye when she told us, just to be certain we were hearing her. This came full circle for me when she sent a post card to Mark while we were dating. The post card mentioned the weather and other unimportant facts, but ended with three words that meant the world. "I love you" from Yia-yia gave Mark permission to marry me long before he ever talked to my Dad.

Always exercise. Even after her first stroke, Yia-yia continued to do her exercises. Arms up and down and touch the ground, up and down and touch the ground. I may always be able to hear her repeating this mantra.

In addition to exercising, it is important to have the right attitude, "Accentuate the positive, eliminated the negative, latch on to to the affirmative, and don't mess with Mr. In-between."

And perhaps most importantly, when my kids are sick, all they will need is a healthy dose of homemade avgalemeno soup and a few Shirley Temple movies.

Get the Look: Old Navy Chambray / H&M Skirt / J. Crew Belt / Guess Watch / Alex & Ani Bangels / Jack Rogers

Welcome to the first Nine to Five, featured every monday here on The Scribble Pad and on the saga of a twenty-somthing. The adorable Emily of So Antho shows us how to rock out some bargain staples with a few quality classics, worth the investment and of course, finished her look with Jack Rogers. She is a girl after our own hearts (we are obsessed, see here, here, and here to name a few). To find out more about Emily, including why blogging makes her a better employee, hop on over to the saga of a twenty-somthing for the rest of her feature. 

Directions:
Cook chicken, set aside
Steam asparagus and cook orzo in separate pots at the same time.
While asparagus and orzo are cooking, begin chopping, dicing, and juicing, tossing everything except the feta into a large bowl.
Asparagus should finish first - you want there to still be some crunch, soggy asparagus is no fun. Chop asparagus and toss in the bowl.
When orzo is finished, drain and while hot, fold into the ingredients, add feta, mix and serve.


I love trying new recipes, incorporating both pantry staples and fresh from our CSA produce, in an outside the box kinda way. For this recipe, I used basil from our balcony, asparagus and spring onions from our CSA, and the rest of the incredients we had on hand. I used more of my favorite ingredients (lemon and kalmata olives) less of others (sun dried tomatoes, love the flavor they add, but you won't catch me eating them straight outta the jar). This recipe, like most summer salads, is very forgiving. Play around with it until you have a balance of flavor you prefer.

On another note, now that CSA has started, I am working on a family grocery (+ Shannon work lunch/coffee/other food related) budget. I figure CSA season is a great time to get into the swing of spending less at the grocery store, plus it will help me clean out the stockpiles in my pantry. I am working on a list of staples we always buy, so when I check the grocery circular, I can buy our staples on sale instead of over paying when we run out of something. Just a little step I am taking towards investing in tomorrow.

I have lots of posts ideas.

Very little motivation to pull them together.

I just want to snuggle with this little guy.



But...I've been tagged (twice!) and totally slacked on carrying my end of the deal. So here it goes, bits of Random for your Thursday. Morgan tagged me ens ago to share 7 things no one else knows...and Whitney tagged me this week to answer 10 questions. Fortunately, most of the answers to these questions are things no one knows...so here is one big blogger tag post:

1. What is your Secret Single Behavior?
My poor husband has to deal with most of what would normally be classified as "secret single behavior." You know, peanut butter or icing on a spoon straight from the jar and then a double dip, leaving the bathroom door wide open (yes, girls do it to) but my most offensive is likely teeth brushing.

I am a full supporter of dental hygene. I floss on the regular, mouthwash is my friend, but late at night, I have a strong aversion to brushing my teeth. When I am tired, I literally hate brushing my teeth. It is painful to force myself to do it. So there you have it.

2. What book are you reading right now (be honest!)?
Coastal Living? When you become a mom can a magazine count as a book? I also read the magazines Whole Living and Working Mother. Three "books" a month? I am pretty proud of myself.

3. What are three books on your "to read" list?
I do have a few good books on my nightstand. Bloom, Honey for a Child's Heart, and on my wish list, Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches.

4. If you could go on a Blogger Friend Date with any blogger, who would you pick? (Besides me, of course)
I would really love to explore Gasparilla Island with Sarah Tucker...or follow/asist her for one of her weddings. We both love that little island, Florida, Weddings, al fresco dining, and traveling, so I think it would be a blast. She has such a great, and positive, out look on life, it would be great to spend some time seeing things through her eyes.

5. What is your most used Android/iPhone/iPad App?
My most used ap is likely Drop7, a game that I am addicted to. I also spend too much time on instagram or playing Words with Friends.

The apps I recommend the most are: Red Stamp, Left to Spend (simple budgeting tool), and the You Version Bible where I am currently doing the Soul Detox study along with #SheReadsTruth

6. What is a favorite memory of yours that is not related to your marriage and/or child(ren)?
Growing up my grandfather owned a jewelry store and my grandmother owned a florist shop in the same plaza. I would help them both by running their cash registeres, cleaning up, and heading down the sidewalk to order pizza for lunch for us all. My very first internship, and I was only in elementry school. Looking back, I probably was there while my parents were at the hospital with my brother, or for some other less than positive reason. But to me and my little mind, it was the most exciting place to be in the world.

7. What songs do you dance in the kitchen to?
I dance to pretty much anything, but we are not a huge music family {gasp!}. We have to remember to plug in the iPod. It is not second nature, and I will likely never own a record player, no matter how trendy they get.

I tend to sing songs to Behr that my Dad would sing while we were growing up, a lot of Bruce Springsteen and Dean Martin.

8. What is something you have learned about yourself through blogging?
I learned that I care more about graphic design, photo editting, and telling a good story than I ever thought I would. Too bad my college major was international affairs and economics.

9. What are your comfort foods?
Hands down, Philly Cheese Steak, every single time. My dad even sent me one for my birthday a few years ago. Let's just say my waist is glad I live in DC. I also love fresh fruit, bread with dipping oil, mac and cheese, and ice cream sandwiches.

10. What is the last song you purchased?
I completely forget. It was a few weeks ago. See question 7.




And because I am still in my lack of creativity rut, I tag the following people to answer the same questions, or to make up your own random question to answer:

Alex - the saga of a twenty-something
Brhea - no place lyke home
Susan - ava grace's closet
Julie - green eggs and hammes
Emily - tales for karina marie

This past weekend we were finally able to pick some blueberries at Mark's parents house. It was beautiful out and as you can see, the berries were ripe for picking. Behr was a master at getting them off the plant, and even better at plucking blueberries from the bucket. For every three berries that made it in the bucket, at least one or two made their way back out thanks to Behr.  I couldn't snap a photo of him without his handfull of blueberries in his mouth. He was eating them so fast, we are lucky we were able to bring any home.













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It has been hot in DC. I'm not sure if you noticed, but Summer arrived in full force. There is a lot of bare baby belly seen around our house lately. Even more so when water or bubles are involved. If the past few weeks tell us anything, it is that summer with a toddler is going to be more fun than we ever imagined! It also indicates that Behr knows what the camera is and how to avoid it. Excuse me while I go try to get my kid to once again smile on demand...

Getting ready for work can be hard. Like...really hard. Right? You want to make sure you look professional or creative or at least put together. You want to express yourself, but make sure you’re still being taken seriously in that big meeting. There are so many ideas and new styles that you want to try. Some days you get adventurous, other days you are hoping you are wrinkled free and sorta match. Now that it is summer time, I find it especially hard.  I'd rather be sporting shorts and a tank or the perfect little sun dress.

Getting ready for work seems exhausting.

ESPECIALLY ON MONDAYS.

And my dear friend Alex from the saga of a twenty-something agreed. So we came up with an idea. Some may call it a stroke of genius. And by “some,” we mean “we.” We look to bloggers as inspiration for fashion every day, right? So why not look to bloggers to get inspiration for your work attire? And so the idea of “Nine to Five” was born.



Stay with us.

We’ve asked some of the best bloggers out there to share their personal work styles with all of us. We’ve also asked them a list of really weird questions (just kidding, not weird at all!) to help you get to know them a little better. These bloggers run the gamut of dress codes from casual to business casual to straight up business. And they are all flat-out fabulous. We hope they become an inspiration for your work week, every week.

So every Monday, come visit our blogs (The Scribble Pad and the saga of a twenty-something) to make some new friends, see what they’re wearing to work and maybe perk up your Monday mornings. Because really, Mondays are just the most miserable. We’re making them better and more fashionable.

So do you love the idea? Hate the idea? Comments? Questions? General concerns? Anything? Bueller?

We hope you love it, because we love it. And we can’t wait to start this out next Monday!

A few weeks ago, my sister came to town for a quick visit. It just happened to be the last weekend of a museum exhibit I had been eager to see. Reviews boasted the suprasensorial was great for kids so I was sold. We convinced Julia it would be worth it. After walking around the museum, realizing that modern art is still not entirely our thing, Behr woke up in time to experience one of the only displays actually suitable for children, a tacktile "room" of hanging blue rubber ribbons to walk through. As you can see, Behr was not quite sure that modern art is his thing either.

While I am thrilled that we made it before the exhibit closed, I don't think it was suitable for children. Julia swore off museums for the rest of her visits in the forseeable future. Ironically, the exhibit was extended, so we didn't have to drag her there after all!