family-friendly fun.

as much as i love family coming into town, i am almost just as excited for my life to return to normalcy. this past weekend was crazy busy with way too much crammed into a 48 hour period – oh the drama. although i’m now fully recuperated…last night’s veg session of tivo’d oscars did the trick…i think i’ll stick to sharing just the highlights.

friday 02/23

stephen’s family came in mid-day as sarah had a 2pm interview at inova fairfax hospital. she just recently graduated college is looking to get certified as a child life specialist…who knew it was such a involved process of internships, fellowships and certification exams? anyway the interview went well, and she’s hopeful in her application.

later that evening, stephen, sarah and i all went out with some of my "book club girls" and their husbands to a fabulous restaurant down by mcpherson square - lima. it was absolutely amazing… well surpassing my expectations – food, atmosphere and service were all excellent. i am hardly one to frequent a restaurant twice, but this one is a definite favorite on my list!

afterwards, we scooted off to the opening night of amazing grace. if you haven’t gone and seen this movie, YOU MUST. not only a powerful testimony to the impact one man can make, but it was supremely well done. AND, it stars my crush – ioan gruffudd. let’s just say i’m slightly, ok majorly, obsessed. :)

saturday 02/24

the day started off slow. i got up early to run some errands around pentagon city – i'm still amazed at just how close everything now is since our move. anyway, returned home 90 mins later to find the apt still slowly rising. around 2pm, everyone had dressed and joe and elaine had come over. it was such a beautiful winter day – crisp air and blue skies – that we decided to take a little nature walk to the nearby roosevelt island. only about a mile from our apt, we were there in no time, admiring teddy’s looming statue and reading his stone-chiseled words circling his memorial. apparently he was quite the prolific writer, penning over 150,000 letters in his lifetime.

we returned to rosslyn with growling tummies, but a stop at red, hot and blue stuffed us full. by that time, my mom had landed at dulles, checked in the hotel and stood waiting for us back at the apt…just in time for our 5pm pampering session at newly opened solarus spa! oh how i love being a girl. we spent the next 2+ hours beautifying ourselves through manicures, pedicures and facials. the night ended on a relaxing note, cozied up to the fire, watching my recent chick flick netflix – the break-up.

sunday 02/25

too bad it wasn’t a monday because it would have been a perfect snow day. the snowflakes fell with grace and beauty, covering everything with a pristine white glow. it would have been a great day to build snowmen in the yard, make snowangels on the mall, or go sledding in rock creek park. but no, my mother was determined to shop – at the leesburg outlets nonetheless!

so sarah, elaine and i piled in her rental car while she braved the winter wonderland, traveling 30+ miles due west to the shopping mecca of northern virginia. i was impressed with her driving skills, and the fact that she managed to strategically place our car behind the herd of snowplows barreling down route 7 (no joke, there were 5 of them!). well, after taking us twice as long as usual, we arrived…to an dead-empty mall. fortunately for us all the stores were still open, and we shopped till we dropped. lucky me got a pair of beautiful cole haan heels and a lovely camisole out of the adventure.

we returned home to pick up the boys and head out to dinner, once again. this time at nage restaruant to celebrate family, stephen's birthday and new job. although not as spectacular as lima, this place was still a winner – delicious food and attentive service! we returned home to enjoy a good old-fashion snowball fight, some bday cake and watching stephen open (and model) his gifts. he even enterntained us with some of his infamous dance moves...oh boy.

family-friendly fun, for sure ;)

no pain, no gain.

today was quite the day in this rodriguez household, especially for one of our little lions. i'm sure i will write more on my two ginormous maine coon cats, brothers, franklin & winston, but for now, winston's adventurous day at the georgetown vet receives the limelight.

it all started 2 weeks ago when stephen took the pair in for their annual check-up. franklin has always been the porker, devouring his food like a construction grapple, jaws open wide, plunging into his bowl of royal canin. winston on the other hand has always eaten like a bird, picking up morsel by morsel and popping them into his mouth. surprise, surprise, frankie tops dubs by a full 5 lbs.

so anyway, back to the check-up. dr.morgan notices some of winston's baby teeth were never properly displaced as he grew but instead due to their alignment, dig straight into his lower gums every time he closes his mouth. my poor baby had been suffering with these open sores all this time! ouch! so we quickly booked winston's dental surgery to remove the offending fangs....and that day was today.

with anticipation i packed winston in his dog-sized kitty carrier and hauled his skinny 16 lb fluff-butt to the vet at 8am this morning. at 4pm, i returned to find him 2 teeth less, among other things. my sweetpea had been through the ringer. his normally wide eyed self had been reduced to a red-rimmed, fur-mangled, arm-shaved, bloody-mouthed tabby, a far cry from his usual majesty. oh how well anesthesia looks on all.

well, after 7 hours at home, being reunited with his long lost brother and his special bowl of gourmet whiskas, winston is returning to his senses...and his love of food. no pain, no gain :)

welcome.

so i'm no writer, and i'm still kinda of fuzzy why i'm even starting this blog...as if i don't spend enough time on the computer already. honestly, i don't have much expectation of this webpage of mine. all i seek is a space to air my thoughts, from flighty superficial to deeply complex and shades in between.

as an infj, there are less 1 % of me in this big world of ours. i guess you could call me unique, special, different, but i'm just me. i hope these postings to follow, no matter how few and far between, will provide a glimpse of this life i live, externally and internally.

welcome to my world, welcome to my forum.