Happy 2019, friends!  It’s been a minute since I did one of these posts, hasn’t it?  The beginning of the year has been beyond hectic.  As you know, we spent Christmas at my parents’ house in upstate New York.  It was a wonderful week, full of family and friends and lots of fun.  We headed back to NoVA on New Year’s Day (with a stop in Baltimore to visit the aquarium – our new strategy for bribing good behavior on long car rides, #winning).  No sooner had the traveling circus rolled back into Old Dominion than I turned around and headed out again – this time, to Miami for a three day business trip.  Before you get jealous, don’t.  I was working in a warehouse in the industrial district, putting in 13-hour days, and the picture above – of a sunrise run on the beach – was literally the only hour of fun I had the entire time I was there.  I got home late on Friday night and have never been so relieved to return to grey skies and bare tree branches.  We spent most of the weekend puttering around at home – I cleaned the kitchen thoroughly on Saturday morning, then took the kids to the library for about four hours while Steve started on a toy-culling project (shhhhh).  On Sunday, we wandered around Mount Vernon and continued straightening up around the house, and Nugget and I made a Wegmans run.  All pretty standard stuff – but it felt good to get back to routines and familiarity after traveling for two weeks straight.

Reading.  It would be too hard – too many pictures to upload at once! – to go back to Christmas week, so let’s just go with this past week, shall we?  I began 2019 in Blackheath, suitably confused as to who killed Evelyn Hardcastle all those times.  It was a totally bonkers book, unlike anything I’d ever read before, and I’m still not sure if I enjoyed it per se, but I’d definitely recommend it if you’re looking for something really off the wall.  From Blackheath I went to Spain and Morocco in the 1930s – a bit of a shift, there.  I’ve been meaning to read The Time In Between for awhile now.  It’s good, but kind of on the long side.  I’ll probably finish it today.  Meanwhile, at the same time, I’ve been dipping a toe into the winter selection for the Tea & Tattle Book Club – Dorothy L. Sayers’ The Nine Tailors.  I love Lord Peter Wimsey, and I haven’t read this one yet – I’m just at the beginning, but can already tell I’m going to adore it.

Watching.  As usual, very little.  On Wednesday night, I did turn on the TV at 10:00 p.m. when I got back to my hotel room and finally was able to order room service – told you not to be jealous; it was not a glamorous trip to Miami.  I was so beat that even a book seemed like too much – and that rarely happens to me.  Anyway, The Office was on Nick @ Nite, so I watched a few episodes.  Side note: when did Nick @ Nite start showing series that I’ve actually seen?  The only time I ever watched regularly was in high school, while babysitting, because I tried never to fall asleep until the parents got home (and let me tell you, that was a challenge when I babysat for the kids of our party animal neighbors who would regularly stay out until 2:00 a.m. or later).  And it was usually I Dream of Jeannie, and I would pop popcorn and LOL at what an OLD show it was, with OLD people, and anyone who watched it must have been OLD too.  And now Nick @ Nite is showing The Office, which I guess makes ME old.

Listening.  A little of this and a little of that.  Some Decemberists – I had a craving to hear Rusalka, Rusalka / Wild Rushes, which is my favorite song from the new album, over and over and over again on the plane back from Miami, so I did that.  Other than that, assorted and sundry podcasts.

Making.  A batch pomodori al forno, thanks very much to my mom’s dear bestie, who served it to us at an appetizer party on the Friday after Christmas and then generously shared the recipe.  I haven’t tasted my own batch, though, because I’m saving it to take to book club on Wednesday (you’re welcome, ladies!).

Blogging.  Still playing catch-up from 2018 – I have my December reading recap coming to you on Wednesday, and then a final accounting of 2018 goals on Friday.  Check in with me then!

Loving.  It’s JANUARY!  I suppose that this makes me a grinch, but – anyone else really relieved when the holidays are finally over?  Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Christmas, but it’s a LOT of noise and bustle and activity and rich food.  I enjoy every minute, but this extreme introvert always winds up exhausted, overwrought, and just ready to get back to daily life.  I invariably find myself wildly relieved and really looking forward to giving my house a good sweep-and-dust, get back to healthy eating, organize myself at work, and shuffle the kids back to school.  My relief was a bit delayed this year, since I had to make the aforementioned trip to Miami, but now I’m finally able to breathe, scrub my kitchen sink, and stuff my fridge full of kale salad.  It feels great.

Asking.  How was your New Year’s?  And what are you reading?

Blahhhhh.  It’s Monday and I’m exhausted from the weekend.  There are certain seasons in which I’m happy to just laze around, run errands and straighten up the house on weekends, but the holiday season isn’t one of them.  Steve would tell you I’ve always been a big one for dragging everyone out to make memories and having kids has just exacerbated it.  What can I say?  I want the kids to be able to look back on a childhood full of fun and magic and if that means I have to shout at everybody to put their shoes on, I guess that’s just the price we all have to pay – right?  Anyway.  This weekend was packed full of all the activities we didn’t manage to do last weekend.  On Saturday we pulled out our shiny new National Aquarium membership and spent a few hours with the fish.  My favorite part of the aquarium in Baltimore is the gigantic – multi-story! – indoor reef.  On Sunday, we braved a rainstorm to stand in line for the Christmas trains at the U.S. Botanic Garden.  This was our third year attending (I think? I know we went two years ago, and I’m pretty sure last year, too) and it never disappoints.  My favorite part is always the D.C. monuments and landmarks constructed out of bark and other plant material, but the kids love the trains.  Nugget was delighted to see his friend Thomas chugging along through the exhibit and Peanut thought the North Pole display was magical.  We spent Sunday afternoon working feverishly on a research project for school (due today; we waited until the last minute but we got it done) and I was glad to curl up with Michelle Obama’s memoir and a cold kombucha after tucking the kiddos in for the night.  And now – a new week beckons.

Reading.  Some reading week, all right.  I spent the entire workweek on The House of the Spirits and was about halfway through the 488 pages when I sat down at the computer to renew my library books and discovered there were holds – ouch.  I was sure I’d end up with overdue fines as a result, but somehow I powered through more than 200 pages on Saturday and was able to return it on time.  Yay, me!  Next I checked one off the longtime TBR and read the first volume of Art Spiegelman’s classic Maus.  Finally, after two tough reads, I rewarded myself with a book from my own shelf and one I’ve been looking so forward to – Michelle Obama’s new memoir, Becoming. #myforeverfirstlady

Watching.  Well – I didn’t actually watch anything this week.  I’ve been craving one of my favorite classic 1930s screwball comedies, but I haven’t turned the TV on for myself all week.  (I feel like I get asked all the time how I manage to read as much as I do.  Part of it is being a fast reader, but a lot of it is simply the fact that I don’t really watch much TV at all – I probably average about an hour a week of actual TV watching.  No shade to TV; there’s lots of great material there.  I just mostly don’t gravitate to it.)

Listening.  A hodgepodge, which is pretty usual for me.  Some podcasts – my favorite parenting and home podcasts are putting out their holiday episodes, which I always enjoy – and a little music.  Decemberists, Offa Rex, Christmas carols.  I popped the Shins into the car CD player this week and enjoyed it, but there’s really nothing that comes close to the Decemberists and my beloved R.E.M.

Making.  A menorah and nine glittering “candle fairies” (one shamash fairy and her troupe of eight candles) for Peanut’s school holiday project.  Each kid chose a holiday to research and represent with a paper-based project.  Much to my delight, Peanut picked Hanukkah – although I don’t personally celebrate the holiday, I love absolutely everything about it – and we had fun making a play set with the “candle fairy” paper dolls, a menorah and two dreidels with pockets to house the fairies.  I texted pictures of the project to a good friend who is Jewish, and she adored it.  I’ve also made progress on my own Christmas preparations.  Cards will go out tomorrow (I think) and I’m done with the kids’ shopping.  I have a bit more to get for grandparents and extended family, but I’m getting close.  (Also, why is anything after December 15 considered “last minute” shopping?  Hello, Amazon Prime ships in two days!)

Blogging.  Winter list on Wednesday – gotta keep the momentum going after a great fall.  And I’m recapping our Advent adventures on Friday.  We didn’t do everything I wanted to, but we’ve done a lot.

Loving.  The family-friendly theatre season is on point this year!  Peanut and I are continuing with our tradition of a girls’ date to the theatre in the days leading up to Christmas – we’re seeing Fancy Nancy’s Splendiferous Christmas this year – but I’m also giving theatre tickets to a few other shows as Christmas gifts.  I don’t know if the kids’ theatre scene in D.C. has always been great and I’m just now figuring it out, but I’m so hype to see some shows this winter.  I’ve loved theatre (both musical and otherwise) since I was in high school, and it’s great fun to share it with Peanut.

Asking.  What are you reading this week?

First of all – love and light to my friends who are celebrating Hanukkah this week!  I hope your holiday has been full of joy, family, and miracles both big and small.  Around here, we are deep in preparations for Christmas and the busiest season is busier than ever.  I was out of town for two days last week – in Philadelphia for a client visit with a group of my new coworkers.  The visit went well, we got in some good coworker bonding, and I was even able to squeeze in a quick breakfast with my lovely friend A.M.B.  Also, I have to say – Philly was in the holiday spirit in a big way.  It’s nice to know of an option for a festive seasonal getaway that’s closer than New York.  Anyway – the rest of the weekend was a bit of a dud.  On Saturday we shoved off early and drove to Baltimore to deliver on a promise to take the kids back to the National Aquarium.  When we got there, we discovered it was “dollar days” and admission was $1.00 instead of $40.00 – and the line wound ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BUILDING.  (It’s not a small building.)  I stood in line, huddled in a biting wind, for twenty minutes before we threw in the towel, bought the kids consolation prizes at the giant Barnes & Noble, and drove back home.  Womp, womp.  On Saturday night, Steve and I went out to my firm’s holiday party – which turned out to be a fun night, and it was nice to introduce Steve to my new colleagues.  Our regular babysitter, Bre, was unavailable so we hired the children’s librarian from our local library branch to watch the kids.  She’s sweet and patient and she did a great job, but the kids (Nugget especially) didn’t let her forget that she was NOT BRE, OKAY.  On Sunday, we just bummed around the house.  I worked on some Christmas presents, ran a couple of errands, watched The Incredibles ii with Nugget (who’s fighting off an icky cold) snuggled up on my lap, and did a marathon batch cooking in the afternoon.  Cozy, but I’m looking forward to doing something more festive next weekend.

Reading.  I spent this reading week in South America, as it turns out.  Most of the week was devoted to The Lost City of Z, which was my book club book for December.  Of course, I got halfway through the book before I realized that I was going to be in Philadelphia on book club night.  But as it turned out, everybody cancelled, so the host called off the meeting and we’ll be discussing The Lost City of Z in January instead.  I’m glad not to miss the discussion, because I really enjoyed the book.  I finished it on the train on the way home from Philly and then turned to The House of the Spirits, which I’ve been meaning to read for ages.  It’s slow going, but I’m really liking it – and I think I may have finally found a magical realism novel I can get behind.

Watching.  With the exception of The Incredibles ii a few times, I haven’t watched any TV this week.  I do really enjoy The Incredibles ii, though – especially the scene in which Jack-Jack wrestles the raccoon.  That slays me every time.

Listening.  This and that – lots of podcasts.  The metro work went on all of last week, so I spent quite a few metro rides squished between people and unable to reach my book – bad for my well-being, but good for listening time.  I went through both of the holiday recommendation shows from The Book Riot Podcast, and a bunch of back episodes of other podcasts too.

Moving.  Sadly, not as much as I wanted to.  I was hoping to squeeze in a sightseeing run to the Liberty Bell while I was in Philly, but it didn’t work out.  I did take two walks around the neighborhood of my hotel, though.  Hoping to fit in more fitness this coming week.

Making.  FOOD!  Lots and lots of food.  Sunday afternoon’s batch cooking includes: pasta e fagioli; red lentil dal; sliced snack veggies; gardein taco “meat”; diced fresh mango; steamed tricolor cauliflower and broccoli; roasted tempeh; roasted tofu; plain chickpeas; steamed einkorn; dry-roasted mushrooms; white bean and sundried tomato dip; raw grain-free granola; and cornmeal breakfast cake with chocolate chips (a concession to the kids).  All in all, less than three hours of work, and this will probably get me through two weeks of lunches and dinners.

No one is allowed to complain that there’s nothing to eat.

Blogging.  I have some fun stuff to share with you this week!  My fall list, recapped, on Wednesday – spoiler alert: it was a busy season – and a tour of my Christmas tree, since it’s been awhile, on Friday.  Check in with me then!

Loving.  The gift guides on treehugger.com are great this year!  I’ve been perusing this year’s selections – gifts for your favorite zero-waster and vegan (those cross-body bags! gorgeous) – and past years’ offerings as well, like 2017’s gift guide for the outdoorsy type and 2015’s green gifts for kids and gifts that give back to wildlife.  I paid extra-close attention to the vegan gift guide, because about a year ago, I quit purchasing any non-vegan fashion or beauty products.  I’m phasing out the leather accessories and non-vegan beauty products I own now – using them until they wear out or run out – and when it’s time to replace items, I’ve been buying cruelty-free products exclusively.  Several of the items from the vegan gift guide might just make it onto my wish list this season!  Do go check all of the gift guides out, and while you’re there, take a look at this article about seven problems facing the ocean and what we can do about them.

Asking.  What are you reading this week?

Happy Monday!  How was your weekend?  We had a low-key one, for the most part.  Saturday was the big festive day in our neighborhood – the annual Scottish Christmas parade was in the morning and the holiday boat parade of lights took place after sunset.  We attended… neither of them.  Whoops!  Next year, maybe.  On Saturday morning, I took Nugget to a friend’s house for a play date.  He and his buddy had the best time careening around the house playing Ghostbusters while his buddy’s mom and I drank coffee and traded childbirth and NICU war stories, like ya do.  On Sunday morning, we loaded up the ol’ four-wheel drive sleigh (with apologies to the Griswolds) and drove out to Middleburg to cut down our own Christmas tree.  I’ve had artificial trees practically since I can remember (and even wrote this post about them) so this was A Very Big Deal.  We hiked through misty fields, the kids asked to take every.single.tree home, and when Steve found the one we ended up with, obviously I said “She’s a beaut, Clark!”  I felt like a murderer while Steve was chopping it down and I can neither confirm nor deny the rumors of second-guessing and guilty tears, but eventually I got over it and we drove home very gingerly with our family’s first “real” tree tied on top of the car.  We had friends over in the afternoon – a law school friend of mine and a law school friend of Steve’s, who are now married to one another, long and lovely story – and then rolled up our sleeves and decorated the tree (which is substantially bigger than we realized at the farm, oops).  I spent Saturday evening curled up on the couch enjoying the soft white lights and all of our special, meaningful ornaments – not a bad way to wrap up the weekend.

Reading.  Bit of a slow reading week, although you wouldn’t know it from the three covers above.  I finished The Nature Fix early in the week and spent most of the rest of the week, up until yesterday morning, on Alif the Unseen.  It was good, and a quick read, but so much of my reading time is tied to getting a seat on the Metro and the commuting this past week has been miserable.  (There’s work being done on the yellow line, which is good and necessary, but it’s ruining the blue line.  I hope they finish soon.)  I’ve been generally able to read on the train in the mornings, but in the evenings I’m lucky if I get six inches of space to call my own, let alone a seat.  Anyway, I finally finished Alif on Sunday morning and am now reading my book club book for the month, The Lost City of Z.  The meeting’s Wednesday, so I’m cutting it fine – good thing it’s such a good, exciting book.

Watching.  Steve has standing plans with the guys on Tuesdays, so that’s become my night to watch whatever I want.  Since I don’t know how to get to saved shows on the digital guide (go ahead and laugh) I couldn’t watch The Great American Read this week.  So I took the opportunity to watch the new adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time.  It was definitely different from the book, which I mostly didn’t mind (Aunt Beast gets to stay as I’ve imagined her) but I didn’t love the way Mrs. Whatsit was written.  Reese Witherspoon gave a fabulous performance, but the character was written with a mean streak that just wasn’t at all true to the book, and not a good change.  The book version of Mrs. Whatsit is such a loving, constant presence for Meg, cherishing her for who she is and gently guiding her to self-acceptance; the movie version just seemed irritated by Meg the whole time – it made me sad.  Other than that, I really liked it.

Listening.  A slow reading week makes for a full listening week.  I blew through podcast after podcast while I was scrunched up against the door of the Metro train on my way home every night.  The highlight was the Sorta Awesome ladies discussing A Wrinkle in Time, which was a back episode I’d been saving until I finally saw the movie.

Moving.  Not much – I had my first busy week at my new job and everything else took a backseat to juggling a few longer assignments.  I have some travel coming up this week, so I’ll try to find a way to be active on my trip.  Is it weird that I rather enjoy a hotel gym?

Making.  Lists, and checking them twice.  Everyone wants to know what to get Steve and the kids for Christmas.  Steve is no help – he straight-up refuses to make a wish list for himself, so it’s left to me to shop around and think of suggestions to offer people.  I’ve been spending most evenings after the kids go to bed, working on his wish list.  (I’m easy: here’s my Amazon wish list with 200 books on it, and also camping gear.)

Blogging.  November reading recap on Wednesday – another busy month of books! – and a fun ocean-friendly shopping guide I enjoyed putting together on Friday.  Check in with me then!

Loving.  Sometimes it seems that every weekend I have a play date or a birthday party for one of the kids.  Their social calendars are so full it would take a four-star general to manage them competently, but I’m doing my best.  I’ve joked that Peanut has a knack for finding the kids with the coolest moms, and it seems Nugget has the same gift.  His friend D’s parents are so cool that I barely noticed three hours pass on Saturday morning.  D’s mom said that her mother-in-law made the point that kids probably gravitate to other kids who have been raised the same way or who come from families with similar philosophies, and that may be why they seem to choose friends with whose parents we get along so well.  I don’t know, but I hope to see a lot more of D’s family, and I sure am glad he and Nugget found each other.

Asking.  What are you reading this week?

Is it me, or are Mondays after an extra-long holiday weekend just the worst?  You’re getting this post on Monday evening – sorry about that, friends.  I was very slow to get going this morning and just not hype at all about a full adulting day of going to the dentist and then tackling a calendar with multiple meetings and conference calls.  But I got through it and here I sit on the other end, with only four days to go until the weekend instead of five, and I feel like reminiscing.  This past long weekend was a good one indeed.  My parents arrived on Tuesday afternoon after a week in Florida, during which time I sat at my desk and scowled at their pictures on Facebook.  I worked Wednesday, but after that, Thanksgiving was in full swing and we enjoyed every second.  I spent Thanksgiving day cooking – no Turkey Trot for me this year – and I pulled together a feast.  We enjoyed dinner at home and then went to our next-door neighbors’ house for a delicious dessert.  On Friday, we worked off the Thanksgiving calories with a frigid hike at Great Falls – brrrr.  The rest of the weekend was low-key.  Nana and Grandad left on Saturday and we filled our time with the usual – farmers’ market, library, playground and soccer field – and squeezed in another hike on Sunday, after the weather warmed up a bit.  All in all, it was lovely and restful and I feel ready to tackle a busy holiday season now.  And we’re off to the races.

Reading.  In addition to working, cooking, entertaining and hiking, it was a busy reading week.  I finished Angle of Repose in time to send my dad back to the library to return it while I worked on Wednesday (thanks, Dad!).  Still in an effort to stay on top of my teetering library stack, I turned next to Autumn, by Ali Smith – which I liked, but didn’t love.  Around the same time, I finished off the last few articles in the autumn 2018 issue of Slightly Foxed – just in time for the special 60th issue to arrive on my doorstep!  But that will have to wait as I continue to do battle with my library stack.  Next up was Belonging: A German Reckons With History and Home, which I absolutely loved – I think it’s going to be one of my highlights of the year.  And now, still in library mode, I’m reading The Nature Fix, which has been on my TBR for awhile now – it’s good, but a bit more sciency than I was expecting or can focus on at the moment.

Watching.  As you can probably guess from the above list of books and other pursuits, not to mention my history – I’m not watching much.  Steve and I did finish off the latest season of The Great British Bake-Off and have decided that we love it just as much, even with the new team running things.  Other than that, nada.

Listening.  Just the odd podcast here and there – an episode or two of Vegetarian Zen and quite a few back episodes of Speak Up for Blue, which is quickly becoming a favorite.  I devoured the interviews with Asha de Vos and Naomi Rose – no surprise there, as both study whales – my absolute favorite animals.

Making.  Lots of making this past week!  The main thing I made was a gigantic Thanksgiving feast, which I will show you on Wednesday.  Everything from “three generations of appetizers” – I made dishes to represent my grandmother, my mother and myself – to a cranberry-apple spice cake with maple cinnamon buttercream and candied cranberries.  I even baked sourdough dinner rolls from scratch (and learned that The Decemberists, in addition to being the greatest band ever, make excellent kneading music).  But the other thing I made this week is even better: I made reservations for a summer vacation adventure that I am beyond excited about.  Steve and I will be escaping for a week without the kids, doing something cold, damp, and possibly a little bit dangerous, and as our friends know, we love things that are cold, damp and slightly dangerous.  So we’re extremely hype for summer 2019.  (We will almost certainly do another vacation with the kids, but one thing at a time.)

Moving.  I had a pretty good week!  On Tuesday morning, I ran the DC Wonder Woman Run virtual 5K (holla, Katie!) – it was tough, as I am seriously out of running shape after not doing much of any running over the last few seasons.  But I knocked it out!  The rest of the week was the usual – hiking and toddler-wrangling.  That is a workout, let me tell you – on Sunday, Nugget and I went to the soccer field and playground, and we ran soccer drills for an hour and then climbed a gigantic rope pyramid.

Blogging.  I will do my best not to flake on you this week.  On Wednesday, I’ve got Thanksgiving pictures coming your way – just a few, as I was busy in the kitchen and using my phone as a Decemberists album-player, not a camera, all day.  And on Friday, either my November reading recap or my November hiking recap – I haven’t decided yet.  Check in with me to see!

Loving.  The kids are at a stage where they both really enjoyed Thanksgiving.  Of course now that it’s over, it’s chopped liver and they’re on to Christmas, but I’m still basking in the glow of the gratitude they expressed over Thanksgiving week.  Their school makes a pretty big deal out of Thanksgiving, especially for the younger kids, so I’m sure that has a lot to do with it.  My heart was bursting to listen to their little voices talking about being grateful for their family and friends.  Seriously?  I love Thanksgiving.

Asking.  How was your Thanksgiving?  And what are you reading this week?

First things first: happy, happy, happy birthday, handsome!  Also, for the rest of you less handsome people: happy Monday, and happy Thanksgiving week to my American friends.  We had a pretty relaxing weekend around these parts.  The main idea was to celebrate Steve for surviving another trip around the sun: good job, Steve.  But Saturday filled up, as Saturdays do, with a birthday party (one of Nugget’s friends this time) and then some pre-Thanksgiving food shopping.  I didn’t get everything I needed – Thanksgiving ingredient shopping with a three-year-old is not amazing – but I got most.  On Sunday, we hiked – naturally.  For Steve’s birthday hike, he chose to explore Widewater State Park down in Stafford.  We’d never been there because it’s brand new – as in, Governor Northam just cut the ribbon on it a week ago.  The visitors center smelled like new construction and the blazes were all freshly affixed to the trees.  They’re still in the construction process and I believe there is a lot more planned for the park, but we enjoyed feeling in the know and being among the first to visit.  And now it’s back to the grind, but only for three days – long weekend ahoy!

Reading.  Kind of a slow reading week, actually.  Not a bad reading week, just a slow one.  I lost some reading time due to bad commutes earlier in the week, and my parents stayed at my house one evening and I spent the post-kiddo-bedtime hours visiting with them.  But when I have managed to open a book, I’ve been reading good ones.  Four Seasons in Rome earlier in the week, which was lovely and lyrical.  And over the latter half of the week, and all of the weekend, I’ve been slowly reading Angle of Repose, which has been on my TBR for ages.  Unfortunately, it’s overdue to go back to the library so I am going to have to pick up the pace considerably, since I’m only about halfway through at press time.

Watching.  It was almost a “nothing at all” kind of week, but Steve and I did knock out two episodes of The Great British Baking Show on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.  There was pastry and innuendo, of course.

Listening.  Podcasts and this and that.  The highlight was the dropping of the first episode of the long-awaited Slightly Foxed Podcast.  I listened to it – gleefully, I might add – while driving to Wegmans (with a sleeping boy in the back seat, which is why I was able to listen to a podcast and not his commentary on every construction vehicle we passed along the way) and I’m already in search of copies of James Lees-Milne’s diaries.  This podcast is going to become a problem.

Making.  A Thanksgiving menu and grocery lists, mainly.  And on Sunday evening I made homemade lobster mac ‘n cheese as a special birthday dinner for Steve.  It turned out really well, and one of us may have picked every piece of lobster out of the leftovers before they went into the fridge.  I’m not pointing fingers, but this person’s name rhymes with Schpeve.

Moving.  The normal toddler-chasing, for the most part, but I can at least report to you that I’m riding my DeskCycle again.  I’m sure my new colleagues all think I’m really weird.

Blogging.  I have a bookish post coming to you on Wednesday – another entry on my Classics Club challenge list, look at me go! – and still catching up, October’s hike on Friday, you know, in case you local folks need any ideas for working Thanksgiving off over the weekend.

Loving.  So, I try not to fall for clickbait, but sometimes I can’t resist those I F*cking Love Science articles on Facebook, and I clicked one recently that has given me so much joy, I am literally unable to even: AI Trying To Design Inspirational Posters Goes Horribly and Hilariously Wrong.  You should go read it, but if you’re too busy, here’s the tl;dr – a fairly basic AI tasked with designing inspirational posters – you know, moving or wise sayings transposed on a soothing image background – has “gone insane” and is creating images that range from weird and hilarious to sinister to NSFW.  And the best is, you can go visit the bot and make your own images, but don’t, because you will lose hours of your life to this.  Learn from my mistakes.  Or do it anyway, because it’s SO much fun and you get comedic gold like this:

Or this.

Even for AI, millennials are a punching bag.  Damn.  Where’s my comfort avocado?  Then there’s this frighteningly accurate portrayal of anxiety:

This also scares me a lot:

Pretty different, indeed.  Here’s one that pretty much sums up the issues I deal with in my day job:

Get your minds out of the gutter, I’m an employment lawyer.

If only I had known.  Maybe I wouldn’t have had high risk pregnancies.  Also, the shadowy man at the bottom of the picture: why???

I don’t even know what to do with this one.

You can say that again.  InspiroBot, guys.  Go do it.

Asking.  What are you reading this week?

Hellooooooo new week.  It’s my first full week at my new job – I started this past Thursday and spent the first two days meeting a million different people and watching hours of training videos – and I’m hoping to feel a little more settled by this time next week.  It was a nice, laid-back weekend, so that should set me up for a good first week of work.  On Saturday, we got in a short hike at a local botanical preserve.  I wanted to check out a new state park that Governor Northam just opened, but we got too late of a start – maybe next weekend?  The rest of Saturday, we spent bumming around town and visiting the playgrounds in our puffer coats; the chill has set in and it definitely feels like November in the wind.  On Sunday, Steve took Nugget to the zoo while Peanut and I had a play date at her BFF’s condo.  I have no idea what the girls did, but BFF’s mom and I had a good chat and catch up session.  We discussed Harry and Meghan’s baby and rated all of the younger royals’ fashion sense, so basically we were productive.  Sunday afternoon was spent at the library, naturally, and I’m pleased to report that I took home more books for the kids than for me.  Look at me, I’m growing.

Reading.  It was a verrrrrrry busy reading week for me.  From Monday through Wednesday, I was enjoying three days of “funemployment” – that golden period when you’ve left a job and have another one lined up but it’s not quite time to start yet.  I’d have loved to have a full week, but three days seemed like all I was going to be able to swing, so I decided to take that and be grateful.  Monday and Tuesday were full days of torrential downpours, so consequently they were full days of reading.  From Sunday through Tuesday, I finished three books – I Should Have Honor: A Memoir of Hope and Pride in Pakistan; The Shooting Party (which inspired Julian Fellowes to write “Gosford Park” and “Downton Abbey”); and Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay.  My pace slowed down after that, with chaperoning a field trip on Wednesday, then squeezing in a solo hike, and then adjusting to a new office life starting on Thursday – but I still managed to churn through The House By the Lake: One House, Five Families, and a Hundred Years of German History; My So-Called Bollywood Life; and half of Four Seasons in Rome.  Not a bad showing for a week, wouldn’t you agree?

Watching.  My usual – very, very little.  Election returns on Tuesday night, and one episode each of The Great British Baking Show (caramel week!) and The Good Place.  The election returns were super stressful and I ended up turning them off at 9:00 and going to bed early.  I woke up at 1:00 a.m. (Nugget had a bad dream and wanted cuddles) and checked my phone, only to discover that the election went a lot better than I had thought when I crawled dejectedly under the covers just a few hours before.  Hurray for the blue wave!  It’ll be nice to finally have some checks and balances again.

Listening.  Just hopping around from podcast to podcast.  I was in a bookish mood at the beginning of the week and caught up on some reading podcast episodes, then switched back to Speak Up for Blue over the weekend.  Peanut and I listened to a couple of episodes about saving whales on our way back from her play date – she told me “I like learning new things, Mommy,” and my heart exploded.

Making.  Meh, not much.  A big batch of cooked greens for the week, and the beginnings of a Christmas list for the kiddos – that’s about it.  Have you ever tried to make a Christmas list while one of your kids perches on your lap?  Nugget wants EVERYTHING on Amazon’s Preschool gift list.  Thanks for that, Jeff Bezos.

Blogging.  We are going to be extra outdoorsy this week.  On Wednesday, I’m catching up on Twelve Months of Trails with a recap of September’s hike – only two months late, no biggie.  And on Friday, I’m sharing the travel guide I wish I’d had when planning an Adirondack vacation with shorties.  Check in with me then!

Loving.  Peanut’s class is in the middle of a unit on Colonial history – hence our trip to a Colonial farm on Wednesday – and she is having the best time learning about life in Colonial Virginia.  I’ve always been a big history nerd, so I am super excited that she’s interested in it too.  Maybe a trip to Colonial Williamsburg is in the offing?  She’s at a really fun age right now and I’ve been able to share some of my interests and my favorite books with her.  I’ve been waiting for this for a long time, and I’m so jazzed that we still have so much fun and bonding ahead of us.

Asking.  What are you reading this week?

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR.  How is it November already?  I don’t know where this year is going, but this is going to be a good week.  I have three days of “funemployment” – I start my new job on Thursday – and I’m jazzed to vote tomorrow and to chaperone a kindergarten field trip on Wednesday.  This weekend was good, too.  It got started a bit late, as I was wrapping up my old job until about 6:30 on Friday evening – late for me.  When I got home, the kiddos were bouncing off the walls and my dear Zan was waiting on my couch.  I quickly read the kids stories, then let Dad handle the rest of bedtime while Zan and I slipped out for a glass of wine at a restaurant around the corner from my house.  We chatted for an hour about my new job, her upcoming business travel, and more.  Saturday was a good day – relaxed and peaceful.  We took a family walk to the farmers’ market and the library, where I checked out nine books (whoops) and scored bigtime at the library sale – two 1930s editions of Lytton Strachey biographies (Queen Victoria and Elizabeth and Essex) for a dollar each, who dis?  On Sunday, we hiked at Huntley Meadows, which was ablaze in color.  The rest of the weekend was chill – lots of reading on the back patio while the kids dug in the sandbox, zooming trucks around Nugget’s bedroom, listening to Peanut practice on her early readers, chatting with my brother and his wife on their way back from a ski equipment sale in Aspen, and relishing the stories of our next-door neighbors who just returned from a honeymoon in Italy.  (Gelato featured heavily.)  All good, nourishing, life-affirming stuff.

Reading.  I’ve been churning through books this week.  Finished The Floating Admiral early last week (recap coming soon), listened to the last of Educated while putting the finishing touches on the art project for the kindergarten class Halloween party, then blazed through The Mothers, Hallowe’en Party, The Radical Element and I Should Have Honor over the latter half of the week.  Look at me go!  It was such an active reading week that I almost feel like I should have highlights – The Radical Element probably takes the crown if I’m choosing the best of the week, but I have enjoyed it all.  At press time, I’m not sure what book will be next; I have a teetering library stack to deal with.

Watching.  As might be expected with such a busy reading week, I was light on television (even for me).  We watched a couple of episodes of The Good Place to close out the second season, and an episode of The Great British Baking Show on Sunday night.  Highlight: Julia’s bread week showstopper, which prompted the line: “I made a snail.  It looks… very inappropriate.”  Steve and I almost choked on our wine.

Listening.  Lots of listening in addition to the reading.  I didn’t want to carry more to work than strictly necessary, since I was lugging huge shopping bags of office detritus home with me on the metro all week – so I stuck to my earbuds.  I finished up Educated, as noted above, via Audible.  Then switched back to my backlog of podcasts and listened to selected episodes of my favorite book podcasts – The Book Riot Podcast, Tea and Tattle, Tea or Books? and From the Front Porch.  The Tea and Tattle episode on autumnal reads was particularly delightful.

Making.  About thirty felt capes and the same number of foam sticker superhero masks for the kindergarteners’ pumpkins.  They looked homemade, but the kids didn’t care, and it was a labor of love.

Blogging.  I have a cozy week of posts prepared for you.  On Wednesday, I’ll share my reading recap for October, and on Friday, prepare for a Halloween photobomb.  We had such a fun holiday and naturally I documented every second.

Loving.  Sort of a bittersweet loving this week as I finished up my old job on Friday.  I knew the career move was necessary, but it was surprisingly hard to go.  In the end, I hefted three full shopping bags and choked back tears as my friends Sam, J.B. and Renee walked me out for the last time.  I had my reasons for making this change, and I know it’s the right decision, but I am just now realizing how much the firm gave me – not just an excuse to get out of a toxic situation and come home, but a bunch of hilarious war stories and a whole new set of friends.  My last day was filled with promises to email all the time, plans to get together for lunch in my new neighborhood, hiking invitations and a flurry of text messages.  I’ve had a lot of stress and my share of tears, but in the end the emotion I felt most was gratitude for the many, many friendships I’m taking with me.  No regrets.

Asking.  What are you reading this week?

Here we go again – Monday is back, and round and round it goes.  This is my last Monday at my current job and I’m having surprisingly bittersweet feelings about leaving.  I’ve known for awhile that this job wasn’t for me, and in fact, that’s why I set the word “begin” as my 2018 word of the year – because even as far back as January, I was craving a new beginning in my professional life.  (I can now also explain that the super-secret-not-a-baby project I’ve been working on all year has been a turbocharged job search.)  Anyway, I’ve got a new job at a new firm, I’ve accepted and cleared all the pre-employment hurdles and I’ve given notice to my current firm and now I’m unexpectedly sad about it all.  It’s the right thing to do for my career, but I’ve made some wonderful friends at my job and I’m going to miss them.  The good news is, I’ll only be a few subway stops away, so we can keep in touch.

Anyway, I wanted a laid-back weekend going into what I know is going to be an emotional last week at my current job.  We started the weekend with a date night on Friday.  Why didn’t someone warn me how sad “First Man” is?  On Saturday, we didn’t do much of anything.  We lazed about the house, I read, and the kids watched The Incredibles 2 – finally.  I took Nugget over to the soccer field at the neighborhood elementary school to hit his t-ball for a little while, and then we played on the school playground.  Sunday was more eventful, because it was the nicer of the two days and we saved all of our outdoor fun.  In the morning, we drove out to Loudoun County to pick our pumpkins for the season.  The kids had a blast charging around the pumpkin patch and sitting on all of the (non-rotten) pumpkins, reciting lines from Curious George: A Halloween Boo-Fest all the while.  After we’d loaded the trunk of the car with pumpkins and a(nother) dozen apple cider donuts – ’tis the season – we headed to a nearby nature sanctuary for a picnic lunch and a bird-spotting hike around a meadow.  Then home – via the library, naturally – to carve our pumpkins and have a cozy evening.  I made ravioli with veggie Bolognese, and we ended Sunday evening as we always do – the kids tucked up in bed, parents hanging out on the couch with a book (me) and the remote (Steve).  Yes – cozy.

Reading.  It’s also been a cozy reading week.  I blew through I’d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life on Monday – love a book about books.  The rest of the week was taken up with The Floating Admiral, a team-written mystery novel by the original Detection Club (including such luminaries as Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, G.K. Chesterton, and Anthony Berkeley).  It took me the week to get through because I was leaving my beautiful Folio Society edition at home during the days – I don’t trust the ravages of the Metro – and listening to Educated on my commutes instead.  Anyway, I finally finished The Floating Admiral on Sunday morning, and the same day started two new books – The Mothers, which I have out from the library, and Hallowe’en Party on my kindle, because it seemed like the thing to do going into Halloween week.

Watching.  Sort of this and that.  Steve had plans with friends one night earlier this week, so I watched an episode of The Great American Read – I’m slowly catching up.  (I know results are out, so please, NO SPOILERS.)  Otherwise, we are almost done with the second season of The Good Place and it’s still SO good.  And, of course, First Man on Friday night – two movie dates in a month, who dis?

Listening.  As noted above, it was an earbuds-heavy week for me as I listened to Educated, my book club book for this month, on Audible during my commutes every day.  I’m down to just about four hours left in the audiobook.  It’s hard to listen to, but I’m already looking forward to an excellent discussion with my book club.

Moving.  I bike-commuted last week!  I rode in on Monday morning and then, because it was soooo cold, left my bike in my office overnight and rode it home on Tuesday afternoon (warm, sunny and gorgeous).  I enjoyed biking to work and would definitely like to make it part of my routine, but I think the weather has pretty much turned now and so it might be awhile until I ride in again.  Other than the exciting bike commute, it was the normal movement – some city walks during the week and some toddler-chasing and easy hiking on the weekend.  Definitely need to fire up the Barre3 online workouts again.

Cooking.  It wasn’t as big of a batch-cooking weekend this week, as I still have a lot of food left over from my cooking extravaganza last weekend.  But I added to the stores with one meal’s worth of ravioli and Bolognese, plus two extra containers of Bolognese and a big tin of roasted pumpkin seeds – my favorite!

Blogging.  I have a great week in store for you.  On Wednesday, I’m going to show you pictures from the most incredible museum exhibition I attended last week with my friend Susan.  (Local friends, take note: this is one you don’t want to miss.)  And on Friday, I’m finally going to share the pictures from the final hike of our Adirondack vacation – yes, the one I keep teasing and then flaking on.  You’d be quite justified in shaking your head and saying never gonna happen, but I swear it’s for real this time.  The pictures are out of the camera (what an ordeal that was) and the post is written and scheduled.  I hope it’s worth the wait.  (It’s not, but what can you do?)

Loving.  I started following Oceana on Instagram last week and you guys, I seriously can’t get enough.  Adorable baby polar bears!  Penguins holding hands!  Whales galore!  If you’re a fan of marine life, go check it out immediately.  The sea otters snoozing in their kelp blankies will melt the coldest heart, I promise.

Asking.  What are you reading this week?