Wedding Quilts, a Family Tradition

My dad's family has a tradition of making a quilt for each person that gets married. Each (willing) woman in the family creates a square, and then one of my aunts puts the whole quilt together. The first time I participated I was a low-achiever and sewed together pre-cut pieces my aunt sent. The second time I participated I decided to try a bit harder and created a needlepoint which my aunt used as the center of a quilt square.

Cousin Kate's Wedding Quilt

For my most recent cousin's wedding I decided to step it up a notch and actually sew a quilt square. I looked online and found what I thought was a simple doable pattern. I took the base fabric my aunt sent and went to the craft store to find other fabric that would work in harmony with it, and then I enlisted the help of my best friend Garley (and her sewing machine) to make it all happen.

Quilt Square Design

Fabric & Instructions From My Aunt

Preparing the Fabric

In my mind I pictured the whole square process taking about an hour. Um yeah, it took more like four and required a last minute trip to the craft store to get a second fabric to add to my square. 

First Pieces Sewn!

Starting to Come Together

Greyson Approves of My Design

So the Pinwheel Points Don't Match Up ... 

The Paw-Print Edges Go On

The square came together quite well throughout the assembly process although I remembered too late that I was supposed to iron the fabric before sewing it all together. Do you know what happens when you don't iron the fabric first? It doesn't lay flat. My square was a bit puffed up in the center, and I prayed that my aunt could flatten it and make it work.

Hard at Work Sewing

The Square is Almost Done!

Just Some Final Trimming Left

Ironing Out the Square

Complete! My First Real Quilt Square!

The creation of the quilt square happened this past Thanksgiving when I was home in San Francisco, and I finally got to see the entire completed quilt last month at my cousin Rachel's wedding.

Rachel's Wedding Quilt

I flew out to DC to meet David, and we drove 4 1/2 hours out to Roanoke, VA where the wedding would be held. It was hotter than I could stand this weekend, and there might have been a lot of complaining. Sorry David!

Trying to Cool Off with My First Chocolate Dipped Cone

The wedding celebration kicked off with a BBQ at Rachel and Dickie's house. I somehow managed to forget to take pictures the whole time we were there, especially when a crazy storm came through a few hours later and knocked out the power. We didn't realize how serious the storm was until people started to leave and found out that there were trees down in the driveway. After the men realized they couldn't drag the tree away, chainsaws were called in. A few hours later the road was cleared, but we found out that most of the area had lost power and that the storm had actually knocked out power for millions! (Turns out a lot of people in the greater DC area didn't get their power back for six days! MISERY!) More on the storm called a "derecho" here.

Rachel Greeting the Guests

 

(Official wedding photos. I'm sure you can tell.)

 

The Happy Couple

The next day the wedding was held at Roanoke College where my cousin Rachel is a professor. The ceremony was in the campus chapel and the reception was in another building nearby. The campus had lost power in some areas and not others, and the reception actually had to be moved at the last minute. Rachel seemed to be taking all of these changes in stride. I'm pretty sure I would have been freaking out!

Family Photo

With Aunt Barbara & Uncle Brian

 With Aunt Judy

Cousin Ted and Family

The Happy and Incredibly Tall Couple
(I'm wearing 4 inch heels!!)

Parents of the Bride - Uncle Stanton & Aunt Elsa

Cousin Sarah & Brianna with Rachel Photobombing

Lucky Centerpiece Winners Kim & Kate

It was nice to spend time with family I hadn't seen in so many years and to have a chance for David to get to know everyone. The next day we headed back up to David's parents' house in West Virginia where a pool party for his nieces was in full swing! It was nice to beat the heat in the pool and get to spend some time with David's family.

Pool Time with David's Nieces

David & the Girls

The weekend was a lot of  fun and I'm so glad I got to spend time both with my family and David's. Congratulations Rachel and Dickie!

Rachel & Dickie

My First 5K+

Last month not only was it MY birthday (best day of the year ... haha)., it was also my Glam Runner partner Tara's birthday! Tara's husband Ben wanted to do something special for her as a surprise since she this was a milestone birthday for her, so he emailed me about a 5K run he wanted to put on for her. Not that Tara was turning 35 or anything, but I suggested that instead of running 3.1 miles we'd run 3.5 miles, and we'd call it a 5K+.  And so the Tmae 5K+ was born! (Tara's full name is Taramae.)

Ben's Shirt Design for the Run

Ben did an amazing job planning the details of the race and invited a ton of Tara's friends and family, marked out a 3.5 mile course, and ordered race t-shirts. Not to be outdone I designed race bibs and ... showed up. :o)  I printed out the race bibs, bought a box of safety pins, and came to the secret meeting place to prepare for the race. 

My Race Bib Design

Shocking ... but I was running late that morning and then got lost in Mission Bay and ended up arriving after Tara. Oops! When I got there everyone was putting on their shirts so I started passing out race numbers. Ben gave a short speech about how wonderful Tara was (there were tears!!), and then we were off!

Tmae 5K+ Race Shirts

Everyone Preparing for the Run

Ben Giving a Speech - Tara Sniffling

We ran down the path and then out towards Fiesta Island. We stayed together as a group and chit-chatted, except when I broke away for my age-group win. Kidding! Almost everyone there ran or walked the race including Tara's parents!

Tara Looking Tense Before the Race

And We're Off!

Entering Fiesta Island

After the race I collected everyone's race numbers and put them in a scrapbook and had each person sign the page and write a birthday wish to Tara. Somehow I forgot to take pictures of the book and all of the cute things people wrote. Shoot.

Leading the Pack for my Age Group Win

Tara's Parents Walking the Course

 Approaching the Finish Line

 

Tara's Mom Working the Crowd

Ben had arranged for a taco stand to come and prepare a fresh, hot lunch for us. The food was amazing! Freshly grilled meat, hand made tortillas, hand made gorditas ... mmm mmm mmm.

Girls on the Run Ladies

Collecting the Race Bibs

Freshly Made Tacos

Birthday Cake!

The whole event was fun and such a unique way to celebrate a special day for someone who loves running. Ben did an amazing job! Happy Birthday Tara!

Tara & Ben (Aka T-Mae and Team-B)

Glam Runner Sisters

2012 Goals: H2 Review

I was previously posting a monthly review of my 2012 goals but the past few months have been so crazy busy I haven't had a chance. Below is a look back on my progress in the last few months, and how I'm averaging for the year. Can you believe the year is half over?? Wow.

Here are my goals through June by category:

Health

• Floss regularly: B - I'm getting pretty good at this flossing thing! My dental hygienist friends would be so proud!
• Sleep a minimum of 8 hours per night: B - After being counseled for an hour on my poor sleep and stress management habits by a doctor I was seeing about some weird headaches I've been having, I decided to make a major change to my sleep strategy. Go to bed earlier, sometimes use a sleep mask and ear plugs, and listen to a sleep meditation app when I'm having trouble falling asleep. I'm getting close to 7 hours each night now, a few times I've gotten 8 or 9. WOW!
• Eat more vegetables: A - Veggies/salads with lunch and dinner are a norm now!
• Eat less processed food: B - less processed food in general, but still loving my Trader Joe's meatballs!!

Fitness

• Register for less races and focus more on quality training: B - Registered for a couple new races for the rest of the year. Ran the Coronado 15K on the 4th of July, and I'm registered for the Color Run in San Diego in November. (Join our team Glam Runner - Tutu Fun and save on registration!!)
• Incorporate strength training into my routine at least twice a week: F - I'm giving up on this until further notice.
• Bike at least twice a week (once indoors, once outdoors): N/A - Now that my bike race is behind me my main focus is running! Three marathons coming up this year!
• Do Bikram Yoga at least twice a month: F - Between travel and work and running and volunteering, I just haven't been able to make it.
• Run a 3:55 full marathon: TBD
• Run a 1:45 half marathon: TBD
• Complete at least one triathlon (preferably Olympic distance): TBD
• Complete a century ride (100 miles): A - Completed my first endurance bike race (67 miles) in May and I'm preparing to do my Century at the end of the year.

Life

• Get to work by 8-8:30am regularly (instead of 9am): B - I'm doing a bit better!
• Develop a personal branding statement: TBD
• Manage my expenses better: 
• Attend church regularly: D - Went once in June with Christine & Todd. First time I've been in months! I've been listening to the podcast instead.
• Play the piano at least once a week: F - I never have time! I'm going to make this a priority once David moves here.

General

• Continue to work to improve on everything I do: B

My report card for the first half of the year

 

Looking back over the first half of the year, I'm averaging in at a solid C. I feel that I've made improvements in some areas, and in others where I'm failing I think the goal just wasn't reasonable. With that said, I'm adjusting for the back half of the year. (This was a great suggestion from Christine!) I will drop the goals that I know I just won't make a priority, and I'm going to add a few new ones in. Stay tuned! Hoping to make the honor roll next month.