Karen & Mel's Year of Fun!

The beautiful Melissa and I have decided that we need to take a more active role in obliterating our boredom.  We have now named the next 12 months our "Year of Fun!"  To get things started right we've packed a few fun and budget-friendly activities into our week - Thursday Pumpkin Carving (but no scary movies please!), Saturday morning hike in the Palisades to get some outdoorsy time, and Sunday farmer's market with April to get to know our new neighborhood.  Stay tuned for pics and stories!

Picking Pumpkins at the Patch!

Hello Team. It's been a while, but I'm back - slightly less bored and broke, and now in my later-twenties....


It's almost Halloween time, and we got into the spirit with a trip to the Pumpkin Patch including a tour of the scarecrows in the sunflower fields (we had our phones handy in case we got lost and had to call 911 for help, don't you worry).


Suffice it to say, I was very happy to pick some pumpkins and pretty kick-ass funky looking gourds. We did, however, miss the memo on bringing your own shopping cart or walker/seat combo to hold all of your findings....One at a time for us!

Chicken

I was a chicken at my hair appointment today. No bangs. Although, I did have her put in a hidden strawberry blonde chunk so I know what it would look like if I want more next time :) That took balls. Maybe bangs will make the cut next time. Pun very much intended. Red lipstick to come. Maybe.

Red Lips and Bangs

Well, hello, again. I know it’s been a while, and I will not give any excuses. I just don’t think I’ve been as depressed and bored as I was when I couldn’t walk so I’ve had less time to blog. Wait, is that an excuse?

Let’s see...where to begin with 2011? How about my lovely ladies’ dinner last night at Izakaya on 3rd. Yum. We all arrived at dinner ready to talk and chow down. When it was my turn to give a quick catch up sesh I brought up a concern I’ve been having. I’m kind of over my face. Actually it’s more of my whole head. I’ve pretty much looked the same for the past 8 years and I decided it was time to do something drastic—like go brunette! The girls all tried to hide their disgust and shock at my suggestion with laughter. I’m on to you Mel, Elyse and Andrea. You didn’t fool me for a minute.

They all joined forces and worked very hard to talk me out of my yearning for an SJP-in-Sex-and-the-City-The-Movie-(#1)-when-Carrie-goes-into-the-salon-a-boring-blonde-and-comes-out-rejuvinated-and-fabulous-as-a-brunet moment. My idea was seriously rejected. We even had a run-in with one fantastic New York transplant (LOOOOOOOSH!) and her sisters who all thought my idea was totes crazy, as well. They all agreed that it was a much better idea for me to get a red lipstick instead. Fine. I’m going to buy one later. And maybe I’ll get bangs to go with my new lipstick.

Welcome to 2011. Next time you see me I just may have red lips and bangs. Get excited.

Apples to Apples

Good morning, loyal blog readers! I’m sorry I’ve been slacking on new blog entries, life has just gotten in the way of all of these technological commitments. I have a whole lot to catch you up on: I got an internship, went apple picking, got my leg brace off, am down to 1 crutch, got 3 new dresses at the Rachel Pally sale, and much much more!

While there is so much to discuss, I think the most exciting is my apple picking adventure. I know the dress shopping is a very close second, so maybe I’ll fill you in on that later.

A few weeks ago (yes, it has been a while...) I went to Oak Glen, California with Fraser and our lovely friends Margot and Adam. Well, we actually crashed what was originally meant to be Margot and Adam’s anniversary trip...but it wasn’t much of an “anniversary trip” kinda place, so we really saved them.

So we drove the 2 ½ hours to Oak Glen and decided to go to Riley’s at Los Rios Rancho to start our apple adventure (you like that hyperlink?!?!). To our dismay, we found that we were very late in the season (next year we will go in early-October rather than November). We didn’t have as many apple options as we would have hoped, but we still managed to pick a 20 lb box of granny smith, breaburn, rome beauties, and stayman winesap. I had grand plans of coming home and making a pie, but let’s be honest, that didn’t happen.

After Riley’s we headed out for lunch (word on the street was the apple pie and meatloaf at Law’s Coffee Shop just could not be missed). The wait was pretty significant, but we held out and ate a mid day feast (which then killed our part 2 plans for the day of going to dinner in Claremont--my fellow apple pickers’ old college stomping ground). Instead, we decided it was time to buy some gifts and goodies then hit the road. Adam decided to purchase some work gifts (smart brownnoser ;) while Fraser and I bought caramel apples, jams and unfiltered apple cider. The sparkling Martinelli’s was tempting, but when in Oak Glen...

It ended up being a very fun trip, and next time I plan to hit the orchards much harder without a full leg brace and crutches (poor Fraser had to carry me a few times so I didn’t feel left out). A highly recommended day adventure for next year!

P.S. Check out Margot and Adam doing what it takes to pick the best apples on the ranch! Way to be, team!

I'm still hungry.

Just because my leg is broken doesn’t mean my appetite is. In fact, I think that it has grown in hopes of healing my fracture with carbs, sugar and alcohol. I'm a bottomless pit. In the beginning I convinced myself that I was, in fact, getting a great core workout everyday lifting my leg, hoisting myself up, and hopping around. Awwwww the power of the mind. I’m very good at convincing myself of whatever I want. Too bad my mind can’t burn all of these calories, too (even though I often think really, really hard about working out and sometimes I even break a sweat).

So not only has this fracture changed the appearance of my leg (where did all of the muscle go?!?!) but the rest of me has changed, too. Ugh. Not enjoying this. I often tell myself that there is just more of me to love and I have a more womanly figure (the power of the mind...). I can’t wait until I can start hiking, yoga, and aqua aerobics again. Yes, aqua aerobics. The class consists of me, my sister, and tons of old people in swim caps. We enjoy it thoroughly.

Not so sure about returning to softball, though. Turns out that all my team needed to do was get rid of me and then they would start winning. Maybe this was a set up. It was the plan all along. Now I watch the games from the stands and cheer good ol’ Shake n’ Bake on to victory while I secretly question their motives...

Anyone have any good exercise tips or classes for when I can get back in the game? Even with this Debbie Downer vibe I’m actually feeling quite inspired to get back in shape and function again. I need suggestions! Doctor’s appointment Monday and I’m banking on getting the green light to start physical therapy and hopefully exercise again soon! Help me find my new workout!