Sister's Guest Post

Our first guest post comes from my younger sister. She's currently living in Oakland, CA with her hubby and their adorable puggle Lucy. Sister works for a non-profit called Playworks, and Brother-in-Law is going to UC Berkeley for law school.

1. What should readers know about you that they don't already know?
I have a pretty healthy NPR obsession, I want to visit every farmer's market in the Bay Area (we're talking well over a hundred people - it's admittedly an extremely lofty goal) and will literally stop whatever I'm doing to try and pet any dog I see.

2. What is your favorite recipe to make in the summer?
Mmm, Capresse salad - an heirloom tomato straight from the farmer's market, fresh mozzarella, rosemary ciabatta, fresh basil from the plant I've kept alive for over two months(!), and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette. Yum! A close second would be fresh fruit salad, with peaches, plums, pluots, strawberries, and blueberries.

3. What is a typical day like for you?
7:12am - Drag myself out of bed to attempt to look like a real person for the day.
7:32am - Jump in the car or start walking to BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to make my way over to San Francisco for work.
8:47am - Start Gchatting with my friend A (whose birthday is 7/31, best day ever!!!), about an event that happened that should have been experienced together, and how our boys are soulmates.
9:50am - Head out to schools to catch the first recess, and jump into multiple games of 4-square, wall ball, multi-ball, band-aid tag, crazy kickball, cookie jar, and sharks and minnows throughout the day...
5:15pm - Collapse in my car or on BART, and make my way home.
6:12pm - Walk in the door and get smothered with Lucy kisses and squeals, as the spouse nonchalantly plays Halo with the soulmate and manages to say 'hey' around his headset and microphone (so as to not interrupt the game, of course).
6:13pm - Lose myself in the Food Network channel.
6:58pm - Head downstairs or outside for a 5 mile run.
8:03pm - Return, drenched, and quickly jump in the shower before Lucy can attack me with more kisses.
8:41pm - Eat my weekday standby salad of spinach, romaine, arugula, and balsamic vinaigrette.
9:02pm - Clean up the kitchen, watch random tv, read my nutrition chapters, play with Lucy, catch up on blogs and emails, talk with the spouse, do the laundry, make my lunch for the next day, do some strength training, get distracted by more blogs and emails, until...
11:47pm - HOW IS IT 11:47 ALREADY?!
11:48pm - Sigh.
11:58pm - Another sigh, as I check the time again on the computer.
12:03am - Collapse into bed, with Lucy pushing her way under the covers.

4. What are your favorite blogs or websites? (Aside from MarryingtheNavy ;)
Well, I love me some Adventures of a Farmer's Wife ;), but I also really like EatLiveRun.com and HealthyTippingPoint.com. Both of these ladies, along with several others that they collaborate with, document everything they eat in pictures, and share their tips and ideas on healthy eating and an active lifestyle. Also, I like the Atlantic's food blog, food.theatlantic.com, because you never know what random, interesting article you might find.

5. What is your favorite MarryingtheNavy blog post, or topic?
Well I'd be lying if I didn't at least mention the Lucy (the puggle) or my birthday posts...or both of the big ol' wedding recaps...but I'm a big fan of the Cheers and Jeers posts as well. Often I hold the exact same opinions! (Okay, okay, thanks Mom.)

6. What are you looking forward to the most in the coming months?
Hmm...

1) A fresh new school year with new Playworks people in SF.
2) The half marathon experiences that Yoyo and I will both have this fall ;)
3) A trip to Chicago with the spouse for law firm job interviews and to meet up with my A and Brother-in-Law's soulmate...oh, and please people, cross your fingers that Brother-in-Law actually lands a job for next summer at this point...
4) And the BEST of all...the whole family's big trek north (~14 hours) for Thanksgiving 2009 in Anacortes!! After all, Lucy is already pretty anxious to meet her future puppy-cousin. ;)