January and February 2018 Updates

2018 started off with a bang. If you recall from the previous post, both girls got sick in the first few days of the year when we were in upstate New York. We arrived back in North Carolina on January 3rd with a double ear infection (Rose) and RSV (Zoe) and rushed to get back before we got our first few inches of snow in North Carolina. We had experienced about 10 days of single digit (ie -freezing!) temperatures, and unfortunately brought some of that cold weather back to North Carolina with us. January 2018 was the coldest January I've experienced since moving south, and we had a handful of snow days, one of which included the most snow accumulation I've ever seen at our house. Cold is a relative term and it being "cold" in North Carolina is much more manageable than "cold" in New York. We could actually be outside enjoying the snow for an hour or two, with temperatures near the freezing mark (~30 degrees F).

Most snow we've ever had on our deck in the 6 years we've been here

The day after January 17, 2018 snowstorm

Sledding and building snowmen at the neighbor's house

The entire month wasn't freezing or snowy. We had two "snow storms." The first produced only a few inches that mostly melted the next day. The second big storm mostly melted within two days. That is why I love North Carolina.

During the month of January we also went to our beloved Museum of Life & Sciences in Durham, went to the bounce house, found kid play areas in new places (like Home Depot), and celebrated Rose's 4th birthday a little early with a few friends who had January birthdays. I celebrated Zoe mostly being potty trained (and the end of cloth diapers) by buying a new washer and dryer. I also decided that 2018 was going to be the year to really work on "fixing" my back. I started back up with a physical therapist to work on strengthening the core.

Painting at Home Depot

Rose and Landon's 4th Birthday and Liv's first!

Celebrating the birthday girl with her friends from school

The month of February always goes by so quickly. It's a short month and we celebrate Rose's birthday several times, including the day of her birth. We like to celebrate her birthday with the other February birthdays in the family - Rose's aunt and grandmother (Colin's sister and mother). That means we usually take a trip up to New York. This year we drove up and I spent the week with the girls. Thankfully the weather wasn't nearly as cold as it was in December/January. We actually had a warm spell and went to a snow tubing park where most of the snow had melted. Thankfully, we came back to North Carolina without illnesses the second time around.

Even for her birthday, Rose isn't quick to wake up

Dancing to end her birthday (and use up the cupcake sugar!)

Driving the 12 hours to New York

Lots of bilingual singing in the car on this trip!

Zoe now loves smiling for the camera for selfies (when she's in the mood)

We checked out some programs at the Music School in Albany - both girls had a blast!

Sledding with cousin Isabella

This year, February was even busier because of a grant application I wasn't prepared for. Over the past few years, I've had to write some federal grants that bring in significant funds for the state to offer health programs, but they've been written to the same funder each spring. My agency (and by "my agency" I mean "I") was asked to take the lead on a big, competitive CDC grant. It involved collaborating with a lot of internal and external partners, creating a complex plan for meeting very ambitious outcomes, and figuring out how to detail it all in a narrative and workplan with page restrictions. It also came at a time when I knew we'd be applying for another federal grant soon after (likely to overlap), and while my office was/is short-staffed at leadership and project management levels. It is really difficult to find the work-life balance when work is over-the-top stressful. I tried to engage with the girls and Colin during "family time," and to keep work separate, but the mental and emotional fatigue and stresses are harder to separate. I struggle daily with patience, and really had to work on it the past few months through the writing of two big grants from February through May.

Stay tuned for updates from March and April. There was an unfortunate injury in there for me, but spring and nicer weather mean we had a lot of fun outdoor activities start back up.

Snow Days

Sledding in the back yard

We had our first (and hopefully only) snow storm of 2016 this past weekend. Our northern friends always joke that the south shuts down when it snows. It's true, but we do get a lot of ice. This storm was no different. All day Friday, we had sleet and freezing rain with some snow mixed in. All together we only received a few inches, but it was very icy.

To prevent cabin fever, Colin, Rose and I ventured out on Friday and Saturday for a bit. Neither Rose or I were thrilled to be out on Friday in the soaking rain, but Saturday we managed to enjoy about 20 minutes of sledding around the yard/house. The backyard has a slight slope towards the house and since the snow was icy, it served as a nice sledding slope for Rose. We also sledded down the driveway, but it was not as smooth as the backyard. Rose seemed to enjoy it a little bit, but she definitely didn't want to be out for very long. She takes after her parents who prefer the beach and warm weather to snow and cold.

We kept Zoe indoors for both days, keeping her nice and warm with her avó. 

Zoe is also ready for spring

Going International for Lunch

Last week, we decided to go out to lunch instead of going to dinner.  The weather wasn't great and the backyard was muddy, so Darwin didn't get to spend his days running around with his buddy Phoenix (who is temporarily staying with us).  Instead of keeping him cooped up all evening so we could go do dinner, we opted to meet for lunch downtown.  Meeting for lunch isn't ideal because we don't get to take our time eating and chatting.  Unfortunately, the weather has not been cooperating and our backyard is very muddy from all the rain and snow. Yes, we did get some snow this weekend!  For most of Saturday morning, the snow was coming down in beautiful, large snowflakes, but as the temperatures rose into the mid-upper 30's, it turned to slushy snow.  Our back deck and backyard was covered with a little over an inch by the end.  Most of the snow/ice was melted by the sun on Sunday, but there are a few large patches that didn't get any sun and now remain icy.

I'm certainly ready for some spring weather! I hate the cold.

Enough about the weather, let me share the details about our lunch at Buku.  I had been there with my former foodie coworkers over a year ago, and had enjoyed my lunch. The reviews were good, so I convinced Colin to meet me there for lunch.

We opted for a global-inspired lunch starting with the empanadas.  The waiter was kind enough to allow us to order a spicy and a regular instead of two of just one kind.  Colin ordered the South African lamb kebabs, which were cooked with peppers and mango chunks and were served with potato salad and lentils. I ordered the Massaman curry, a vegetarian dish with vegetables, curry and a coconut sauce, served with rice on the side.

The empanadas were very good. The main difference between the spicy and regular was the spicy salsa on top.  The sauce was good, but I prefer the guacamole that came on the regular ones.

Empanada and Empanada Picante

The lamb meat was very tender and I really enjoyed the combination with the peppers and the mango (?) pieces. The potato salad was also very good.  The lentils seemed a bit too raw for my liking and I would have preferred them served warm instead of cold.  Colin was not a fan of the meat, veggies or the lentils.  He only gave a positive review to the potato salad.

South African Lamb Kebabs with potato salad and lentils

I really enjoyed the Massaman Curry, especially the unique flavor the coconut added.  Once again, Colin was not impressed, so I got to polish it off!  I will admit the flavor was a bit mild, even with the coconut, but I sometimes prefer a dish that is more mild.  I've been to many restaurants where the food tastes overly flavorful because of all the salt and/or butter used.  I enjoy my meal when I eat it, but then don't feel great afterwards.  After eating at Buku, I felt full, satisfied, and didn't go back to the office in food coma.  I prefer having a hearty meal at lunch, but don't like overdoing the carbohydrates, which can make me tired during the afternoon.  Even with the rice and potato salad, I didn't feel stuffed or tired.

Massaman Curry (vegetarian) with Jasmine rice

I enjoyed the romantic atmosphere of Buku's main dining area, especially since we decided that would be our Valentine's Day meal. The service was excellent and efficient for the lunch hour, with our appetizer served quickly after ordering.  We didn't get to spend that much time together, or enjoy a very leisure dining experience, but I'm sure Darwin appreciated our attention that evening.

Overall, I enjoyed my meal, but will admit their menu is pricey. The website claims they use high quality produce, hormone-free beef and sustainable fish, but I don't really know what that means. I doubt the produce was organic or local, and we had lamb, not beef.  The restaurant also claims to be "global street food," but I don't know any street empanadas that cost $3.50 each, or street lamb kebab entrees to cost $12.  In NYC, street kebabs on a heaping pile of rice cost under $5.  I recognize we have to pay for the service and the dining experience, but I think Buku's description of itself sets the wrong expectation.

If you've ever eaten at Buku, is there a menu item you love?

We are probably going to dine in Chapel Hill or Durham this week, any suggestions?