Monday, August 30, 2010

Do Fun Stuff!

I've been loving the blog Pacing the Panic Room for a while. Caught on during the adorable pregnancy series and stuck around for his amazing insights on parenting and dealing with the changes that come along with it. And mostly for his staunch opinion on being the best parent he can for his step-son who was recently diagnosed with Smith Magenis Syndrome, including busting his tail to put together a great cd of "parent friendly kid music." If you have some kiddos in your life, and are sick of the same old kiddy stuff, check it out!

Weekend

Last week was the first week of school. New backpacks, books, and schedules. It is a bit melancholy for me, usually, as I am trucking along at the same and same, envious of the optimism and freshness a new year brings. I've said it before, but my first year of college was one of the best years of my life.

But this year is different. Trent is back to school. He started his Masters in Public Health, emphasis in Health Education and Health Behavior (they are called HeBe for short). He had orientations, welcome potlucks, incredible amounts of socialization, new schedules to remember, and classes to find. I've been living vicariously through his first few days and enjoying the intensity that happens when 30 people who all have the same interest finally find each other. I remember it fondly.

He is taking 3 classes, one being a Science Film and TV class, in which he will make a 7 minute documentary on renewable resources. He has lots of reading and group projects already. He will still be working at UNC for the Honors department, helping students apply to scholarships, and will have an assistant coach role with the men's crew team. Busy fella. It's going to be a change in our lives for sure.

But I am trying to capitalize on the new year and the changes in our day to day. For me, September, far beyond a cold night in January, feels like the time for resolutions. I'll be highlighting some of mine this week. This weekend was a great start, including:

1. A very rowdy Saturday night with good friends, playing silly games and dancing in the street.

2. Deciding on Friday night that I didn't really feel like being rowdy, and going to bed early while Trent played with his new friends.

3. Running early Saturday morning, first at 7:30 with the Trailheads, a local running group, and Paul and Trent, and then again with Alyse who I am helping train for her first half-marathon. Almost two hours in the trails... lovely!

4. Biking with my lovely group of girls Sunday morning. Sheila, Becca, Amanda, and a newcomer, Aditi. I feel so fortunate to have these girls in my life. They are truly mentors and I feel like I am storing up so many good ideas about families and babies and careers from them. Plus, they are stellar cyclists and keep me pushing myself in something I am not naturally that great at.

5. Lovely bbq with Sheila, Paul and their adorable Mr. Alex, Becca and her hilarious Eaden (toddlers and our yard/puppy was the best!!), Stephen with his two broken arms (that's a story) and Amanda with her precious cargo, and our neighbor Dave. Good food, fun conversations, finally cool enough to eat on the patio again.

6. A ridiculously great nap postbike ride on Sunday. Followed by an epic back to school shopping trip (thanks parents!) to Old Navy, Marshalls, and Walmart. Straight classy, I tell ya. We washed it all off with lunch at Whole Foods :)

7. Being a supportive spouse at Trent's department cookout. I mingled like crazy and was so happy to be able to support Trent after all the biology events he's gone to. They are a really interesting and diverse group of people, I had a blast.

8. Lovely chat with my dear Hales. She makes me smile.

Busy busy weekend and a full week ahead. We are hoping to sneak to the beach this weekend with Thomas and his beach house to relax before we get too swamped. I am *this* close to finishing this paper... and of course nothing is cooperating. Just gotta keep trucking.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Playing with iMovie...



...making a cute movie of Pilot and his puppy class friend Abby roughhousing in the backyard.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Filming Trip with the Family

Some pictures from our "working" portion of our trip. We flew to Boston, spent the night in Cambridge and then drove up to Chocorua, New Hampshire to film. This is Lake Chocorua, which we finally managed to swim in our last day there. We were busy filming assistants!


We spent the better part of one day filming our "talent" reading his lines and doing all the voice-overs. We were in a great 1910 house that was originally built for Smith College's faculty retreat, but is currently owned by a lovely, sassy, lady. Brought back lots of memories, holding cue cards and wiring microphones.


Lunch with the crew, the talent, the host of the house and her sweet dog.


We spent a morning filming a local potter, who was so nice. Definitely inspired to take a pottery class! Beautiful scenery, and blissfully cool weather!


The potter's shop. It was a converted barn. So awesome. And we came home with two great mugs!


Trent was a champ, being filmed "waking up" and putting on his pants to use as images representing how routines make our lives so much easier and let us focus on more important things. This picture is hilarious. What a trooper.


Trent "waking up." He has a future in acting!


Brief time out at Lake Chocorua on one of our many drives from our lodge to town and back.


More filming, love the action shot.


Cool covered bridge. Trent and I snuck away most mornings for hikes in the mountains and swims in the river. Exhausting, but gorgeous!


I love this picture showing how similar my mom and I are. Look at our matching outfits and inability to keep our shirts right!


Greg, our camera man. I've known this guy forever, he is practically family. Fun to hang out with him during our sparing free time.


Father and daughter watching the filming of the potter. Love it.



Mom as producer extraordinaire. She was SO busy this trip, managing everyone, keeping us on schedule, wrangling some fairly crazy folks. I was so impressed and so happy Trent and I got to help her out.

Next up... Cape Cod!

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

I'm sorry...

These animal prints from Sharon Montrose are too cute. And my new standby baby present.


Also making Baby Zipp some onsies with appliqued ties... a la this etsy inspiration. Garrett was the most grown up person I knew in college... I bet his little mister is going to take after him, so he should dress appropriately!

Monday, August 02, 2010

Welcome to the world Mr. Gavin Troy Zipp.


I can't believe my dearest G has had two kids already.


7lbs, 11oz. Everyone is doing great. Can't wait to meet this fella.

Pilot's Pilot Costume

Pilot is heading to his buddy Rowdy's 2nd birthday party this weekend. It is a costume party but there are dog masseuses, portrait artists, bandanna party favors. Should be awesome.

But I need to start working on his costume. He has to be a pilot right? Or a rock climber? Ideas?

Highligths from last week

1. Trent got home. He had a wonderful trip, both places were great but we are dying to go back to Portugal. It is a European San Francisco!

2. We've also decided that we must get Fulbright scholarships and spend a year somewhere fun. Life plan!

3. Trent and I volunteered at the student run free clinic on Wednesday. T was the public health coordinator and the other public health volunteer didn't show, so I got to play one. It was really interesting to talk to people about their diet and exercise, slightly tricky to discuss self exams for breast or testicular cancer and their sex lives, but I am happy I did it. Such an eye opener.

4. Met up with Stephen and Amanda afterward to celebrate his birthday with cake (and eating their leftovers from dinner, we were starving!) and then to the Station to drink High Life and eat nachos... too much healthy discussions for one day!

5. Thursday we installed new windows in the office. We are nearly done (just our bedroom) replacing all of them. However, we only install new windows when it is either snowing or 100 degrees and buggy outside. We installed the first set without a hitch, but the second one was a doozy. I think we were getting too confident. The old window shattered as we were pulling it out, cutting Trent's foot which immediately started bleeding like crazy. I am very pleased that I did not panic (no sitting on anyone) but we quickly got the bleeding stopped and the glass vacuumed up while every bug in Carrboro came into the office. We installed the second window and then took a break to really clean up his cut (not too bad at all, actually) and treated ourselves to frozen yogurt and watching an amazing thunderstorm roll in.

6. FridayTrent worked on the windows (new molding!) while I went to yoga. Met up afterward for dinner at Weaver Street. Vino verde, big loaf of sourdough and local cheese. Delish. Met up with some friends randomly and Pilot was loved on by three adorable kiddos.

7. Up early to ride to Saxpawhaw. It was gloriously cool and overcast, we had to take advantage. Stephen came along and we rode in the countryside for about 20 miles. I'd heard great things about the Saxpawhaw General Store's breakfast and we weren't disappointed. Local everything and so much better after having to bike to get it. Different route home that was a bit less scenic, but arrived back in Carrboro just as the rain started up.

8. Long showers and watching Fantastic Mr. Fox while Trent kept working on the windows. Stephen and Trent went to Lowe's and Trader Joe's while I napped and started cooking. We were planning on heading up to Pilot Mountain to camp and then climb on Sunday, but everyone bailed and it was pretty stormy so we decided to stay home.

9. Homemade pizzas with fresh basil, garlic, mushrooms and anchovies (I am determined to eat more fatty fish!) and lots of episodes of Mad Men. We are obsessed.

10. Sunday morning was still cool and overcast. Took the opportunity to get a good long run in. Pilot came with me for 20 minutes then back home where Stephen and Jersey had come over to visit. S took them both on another walk while I headed out again. Lovely long run, about 1:40 total. Felt so good to run in the cooler weather, I couldn't stop.

11. Long shower and half a watermelon and a spinach smoothie to rehydrate. Massive housecleaning the rest of the afternoon, tons of laundry, scrubbed floors, dusted everywhere. Felt great. Trent finished up the windows (they look terrific) and Pilot's friend Abby came over to play. Homemade pinto beans, spinach, and rice for dinner and a couple more Mad Men episodes. We were all konked out (I laid down to read around 9 and passed out, will call tonight parents!) and happy in our clean house with clean sheets.

Boss is still out of town, and both undergraduates are gone. Hard to have all the work come back to me but I am determined to get some things done before our upcoming vacation next week! Happy first week of August!