Ashton and I have been the best of friends since I met her when I moved to Utah in the 4th grade. We played barbies together, experimented with cooking together, drew dream-home floor plans together, trick-or-treated together, travelled together...and basically did everything together through college when we were roommates and then afterward until I moved out to DC.
I can honestly say she's one of the most beautiful people (inside and out) that I've ever met. She's hard-working, easy-going and never complains when things are difficult. She's the epitome of generosity and knows how to create beauty (seemingly effortlessly) wherever she goes. She's the sister I never had, but always wanted.
As you can imagine, it's heartbreaking for me that her two gorgeous little boys have a rare genetic disorder called Cystinosis. Cystinosis is so rare, in fact, that only around 500 people in the country have it. You can read more about the symptoms of Cystinosis here.
As Ashton and her husband mention in their letter, Cystinosis is so rare that it does not receive much government attention or funding. So, in honor of her older son Sam's third birthday, Ashton and her husband Stephen started a non-profit to raise money for Cystinosis research.
If you're looking for a cause to support, I would be overjoyed if you chose to support one that's near and dear to my heart: Sam's Hope for a Cure. If you'd like to make a donation, you can do so here.
Here's to Ashton, Stephen, Sam and Lars! Here's to helping find a cure!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
The real normal
Do you ever have those weeks where you've been extremely busy, but you look back and feel like you did a whole lot of nothing? Last week was like that for me.
During the week I felt like I didn't have two seconds to rub together, but then, as I look back, I can't really pinpoint what I was up to. Probably just a busy work schedule, trying to keep the house clean, and perpetually picking up the smashed figs that the squirrels and birds like to leave around our yard. You know, the glamorous, fun stuff.
This week isn't really much better in terms of excitement. The Law Center semester starts next Tuesday, so I'm slogging through the piles of questions the adjunct faculty members like to hit me with at the last second. I don't blame them...I'd probably be the same way, but it sure takes it out of me. If I never write another email again after today I'd be perfectly happy...
During the week I felt like I didn't have two seconds to rub together, but then, as I look back, I can't really pinpoint what I was up to. Probably just a busy work schedule, trying to keep the house clean, and perpetually picking up the smashed figs that the squirrels and birds like to leave around our yard. You know, the glamorous, fun stuff.
This week isn't really much better in terms of excitement. The Law Center semester starts next Tuesday, so I'm slogging through the piles of questions the adjunct faculty members like to hit me with at the last second. I don't blame them...I'd probably be the same way, but it sure takes it out of me. If I never write another email again after today I'd be perfectly happy...
Monday, August 20, 2012
At last...my rug has come along!
A rug at last.
I've been searching off-and-on for a rug for our living room since we moved in. It's a long room that includes the entry-way and the living room, so I wanted to get something to define the seating area as a separate space from the entry area.
For me, rugs are always the hardest part of decorating. Do I get something with a pattern? Something plain? Fluffy? Flat-weave? Will I get sick of a patterned rug? Will it conflict with other elements of the room? Will it hold up to the foot traffic? The list goes on.
One of my primary issues is that to get a nice rug for a room this size would normally cost a small fortune. And I'm not willing to part with a small fortune...especially not for something I'm so wishy-washy on.
I started contemplating a hair-on-hide rug about a year ago when I cruising the archives of some of my favorite design blogs. I love the organic shape and the fact that they're true work-horses (pun?) in terms of holding up to wear-and-tear. But again, other than the IKEA version (which I didn't absolutely love), it was an expensive proposition.
Then - cue the heavenly choirs singing - Blake and I were perusing Arhaus before dinner one night and noticed that they had a zebra-print rug and that it was on sale! Drastic sale. 75% off to be exact. That put it, mercifully, in our price range. It only took a few minutes of my incessant chattering to successfully convince Blake that, yes, we needed this zebra rug for our home.
20 minutes later we were home and eagerly re-positioning our furniture and the rug "just-so."
Not the best (iPhone) picture, but it looks amazing in person.
It pays to wait for a deal.
I've been searching off-and-on for a rug for our living room since we moved in. It's a long room that includes the entry-way and the living room, so I wanted to get something to define the seating area as a separate space from the entry area.
For me, rugs are always the hardest part of decorating. Do I get something with a pattern? Something plain? Fluffy? Flat-weave? Will I get sick of a patterned rug? Will it conflict with other elements of the room? Will it hold up to the foot traffic? The list goes on.
One of my primary issues is that to get a nice rug for a room this size would normally cost a small fortune. And I'm not willing to part with a small fortune...especially not for something I'm so wishy-washy on.
I started contemplating a hair-on-hide rug about a year ago when I cruising the archives of some of my favorite design blogs. I love the organic shape and the fact that they're true work-horses (pun?) in terms of holding up to wear-and-tear. But again, other than the IKEA version (which I didn't absolutely love), it was an expensive proposition.
Then - cue the heavenly choirs singing - Blake and I were perusing Arhaus before dinner one night and noticed that they had a zebra-print rug and that it was on sale! Drastic sale. 75% off to be exact. That put it, mercifully, in our price range. It only took a few minutes of my incessant chattering to successfully convince Blake that, yes, we needed this zebra rug for our home.
20 minutes later we were home and eagerly re-positioning our furniture and the rug "just-so."
Not the best (iPhone) picture, but it looks amazing in person.
It pays to wait for a deal.
Friday, August 17, 2012
That's a wrap
Sometimes when you've spent the week battling the stomach flu, you've gotta review pictures of your latest vacation to remind yourself that life can be more than just vertigo and the view of the inside of a toilet bowl.
Life is Maine Black Bear with extra hot fudge - purchased with part of the $20.00 found on the sidewalk. It is blueberries picked and eaten straight off the bushes by the dock.
Life is fresh produce from New Hampshire farmers markets. And pulling up to get gas in the boat on a perfectly blue Winnipesaukee day.
Life is having a laugh with your best friend while pulling up to the fair and noticing one old man riding the Ferris wheel by himself. It is giddily buying armfuls of almost-new books for pennies. It is ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the beautiful New England architecture.
Yep. Life outside of the stomach flu is pretty darn great.
Life is Maine Black Bear with extra hot fudge - purchased with part of the $20.00 found on the sidewalk. It is blueberries picked and eaten straight off the bushes by the dock.
Life is fresh produce from New Hampshire farmers markets. And pulling up to get gas in the boat on a perfectly blue Winnipesaukee day.
Life is having a laugh with your best friend while pulling up to the fair and noticing one old man riding the Ferris wheel by himself. It is giddily buying armfuls of almost-new books for pennies. It is ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the beautiful New England architecture.
Yep. Life outside of the stomach flu is pretty darn great.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
From King Kong to Jaws
Now that the Olympics are over (and I've filled my sport-free afternoons with Shark Week), I've been thinking a lot about the games:
1. Is it really fair to call Phelps the winningest Olympian? Sure, he's fabulous at what he does, but isn't it unfair to name him champion when he's in a sport in which he can win so many medals? Track stars are going to win, what, maybe three medals per games if they're lucky? Discuss.
2. We (as a human race) have spent the last several million years evolving away from monkeys. And yet here we are awarding top honors to the folks who have managed to combat evolution and do with their bodies what monkeys can do. Exhibit A:
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