Full bloom

Yesterday I went for a 7-mile run along the Schuylkill River Trail.  It wasn't my most productive run because I was so distracted and enamored by all the blossoms on full display.

Have I mentioned I love springtime in Philly?

Cat party

The cats apparently had quite a good time while we were gone.

Lessons learned (or re-learned) while Bubba-sitting

1. Always take more than one plastic bags with you on walks for unexpected second...surprises.

2. Dog-sit or baby-sit for people who have their own washers and dryers. So convenient compared to our $3.75 per load basement set-up we currently have.

3. Getting a dog insane with puppy crazies at 7:00 a.m. is always good idea.

4. If you walk around Old City around 6:30 p.m., you are guaranteed to see at least 10 adorable puppies on a single block.

5. I never outgrew my love for grape juice. Nick has some cran-grape juice in his fridge and I literally chug it, it's so good. And while I'm ruining my teeth and health with all the sugar that's in it, at least it's not high fructose corn syrup!

6. I love Old City. It's always been my favorite part of Philadelphia, and likely always will be. I always think I want to move there, but I don't want the novelty of it to wear off of the cobblestones and the historical sites. So I think I'll just make a pledge to visit more often this summer.

7. Always take a jacket with you when you leave the house, especially in the spring, because bizarrely enough, sometimes the weather changes from the day before.

8. Make sure you read parking signs properly so you avoid parking in a "free" spot that has a 1-hour tow zone from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Doing such a silly thing will result in your car being towed and cost you a fancy price.

Picking up the car from PPA.

9. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. *See #8 above.

10. Dogs are a lot more work than cats, but they are also much more affectionate and eager to give puppy kisses. Evie does NOT do puppy kisses.

Bubba-sitting, continued

I love this face:

But I certainly miss this face:

Scenes from a Tuesday

Gorgeous spring day, walk through Old City, and a cute pup.

Bubba lives in an old petticoat factory, the Hoopskirt Lofts

Cherry Blossom trees by the Quaker Meeting House

One of our favorite streets to walk down- Quincey Street

Washington Square Park

Love this sculpture outside of Jefferson Hospital

Cobblestone streets in Old City

Bubba

Betsy Ross House

Current love and future excitements

I love how this blog is slowly turning into a chronicle of only what I'm looking forward to.

But then again, should I really be surprised? I operate best when I know what exciting things are in my future. And let's face it- while I'm thrilled awful February is over and done with, March really isn't that much more amazing.

Aren't I cheerful?

So, here we go- Current Love and Future Excitements (yes, that is a word).

- Current love: Bare Minerals makeup.
I am not new to Bare Minerals.  I know of its magic ability to turn my face into a flawless masterpiece (ha). The first time I used Bare Minerals was about 5 years ago.  They had one formula, and I believe it came in light, medium or dark. I bought the Getting Started kit from an Ulta in Tulsa and loved it.

However, I made the mistake of washing my precious BM brushes with plain soap and water, and they were never the same again.  Unbeknown to me, there is a super special conditioning brush wash that you're supposed to use on BM brushes.  Who knew?  The regular soap made the brushes rough and not as lovely as they once were.  So I sadly took my kit back to Ulta, where they sadly gave me a full refund.

This time around, I went to the Bare Escentuals store at Christiana Mall in Delaware. Apparently they have about 76 new foundation colors (rough estimate), plus an original or matte version, and I got matched up perfectly to matte Golden Fair. I once again bought the beginner's kit, which came with none other than the super special conditioning brush wash! Rejoice!

Verdict? Love it even more the second time. 

**I should give full credit to my sister for my triumphant return to Bare Minerals, as she bought the same Getting Started kit in January and loved it.  I decided to continue my little sister habit of copying her.  So, thanks Patricia! 


People say we look alike. 

 - Future Excitment: Bubba
First, Bubba is the cutest French Bulldog/Boston Terrier mix EVER. 

Second, Bubba is a she. 

Third, I have the distinct pleasure of puppy-sitting Bubs next week while her owner Nick is out of town on business.

That's right- next Monday night through Sat. afternoon (or whenever I feel like leaving), I will be an official fake dog owner.  Bubba will be exhausted with all the walking and playing and dog-parking she's going to do starting Monday at about 5:30 p.m. 

This is not Bubba. This is Petey, Bubba's handsome friend. 
We have a date with Petey and his hot mama Jen next Friday.

I'll be posting at least 100 pictures of Bubba daily, so watch this space!

- Future Excitement: Boston to see Ben!  (and Jackie...and John)
Rhett and I saw J&J&B last weekend, and liked them so much that we booked a trip to see them March 23-25!  We'll be staying at a hotel with an indoor pool, which will be fun and a lot easier on everyone.  I'm not sure what all we'll be up to, but I do know I fully intend to hog Ben the whole weekend and carry him around in the Baby Bjorn.

- Future Excitement:  KICKBALL! 
Oh, kickball, how I've missed you.  It's been a long, cold winter without you (false, it's been ridiculously mild), and I can't wait for the season to start on Sunday, April 1 (no foolin'!). Hopefully this season I can avoid broken bones and stolen wallets, but then again, I crave excitement and adventure, so bring it on!! 

(Please, be gentle)

Questions: What products/things/whatevers are you loving right now? What are you looking forward to? Do you think my sister and I look alike?

Welcome to March

If the rest of the month continues to be anything like today, I think I have a very productive month ahead of me!  I've been happily crossing things off my To Do Lists (yes, I have multiple lists), and I do this dance each time: 

Just a few things I've accomplished today:

- Paid some lingering bills, mostly for magazine subscriptions I've been putting off paying for. That whole "Bill me later" option is so nice until you actually receive the bill in the mail. Ugh.

- Finally ordered our EZ Pass for our car.  We used to have one, but according to my mom, I "told her to throw it away," so she threw it away while we were in England.  I have no recollection of such a request, nor does it make ANY sense that I would want that, but she seems to be sticking to her story. The more likely scenario is that she did a typical Mackin Girl thing, and pitched it out during a frenzied cleaning spree.  I think Rhett, David, and my dad can attest to that happening a lot when we start cleaning or organizing.

- Made Rhett an eye appointment.  That's right- I made Rhett an appointment. What am I, his secretary??  But really, I made it for selfish reasons- while he's getting his eyes checked, I can browse their glasses selection and choose some new frames.  Because I am blind as a bat, my glasses are ridiculously expensive, so I need to choose a pair and then start saving for them.  I also want a pair of RX sunglasses, so that should be a hefty price tag.  Luckily Drexel offers very good vision insurance, so hopefully it's within my limit. 

- Emailed long-lost friends and made plans to hang out this month.  Josh and Andy, I miss you.  Read my email and let's make a date.

- Found out when the cherry blossoms are in peak season in D.C.... and promptly sent Rhett about 45 emails letting him know what I want to see and do in D.C. when we go over March 23-25 (peak!)

- Finally listened to Regina Spektor's new single. And smiled.  I love that girl.

And all of that on top of work tasks!

Welcome to March, and welcome to the weekend, friends.  Enjoy it.