Y2K

Just blowing through the years now...my mom took fewer and fewer pictures as we got older, but the pictures she did take are way more out of order. It's kind of a puzzle trying to put everything together!

Y2K party! Remember when everyone thought the world would end?

My with my French tutor Laura. I loved her because she always did the homework for my correspondence course for me, then I'd re-copy it and send it in. Sorry, Mom.

Skiing in Copper Mountain, CO

In my bedroom before I had it painted. Like the ducky wallpaper? Also, please note the picture of kittens above my head.

I played the flute for a few years! And yes, those are chopsticks in my hair. So stylin'.

Right before my tonsillectomy. My doctor was amazed by how massive they were. I'm still strangely proud of my abnormal tonsils.

My 10th birthday at the City Tavern in Philadelphia. Luke's too cool to play the spoon game. The guy on the far right is Andre, who was our foreign exchange student from Brazil for a semester.

The day after I got Cali! She was such a sweet little nugget. Now she's just a rodent-killer.

On the Maid of the Mist in Niagra Falls.

Parents' anniversary dinner at Buddhakan in Philly. We were hip way before Sex and the City made it cool a few years later.

During my short-lived riding phase. I remember that horse's name was Cat, and he sneezed on me. It was gross.

During my swim team years. Are we picking up the theme of Gabriela trying everything then quitting?

With my grandpa and brother at the Jersey shore. Yay big J!

* * *

In the midst of my picture organizing, I broke for lunch.

I wasn't in the mood to make anything, so I just heated up an Amy's teriyaki wrap and sliced up some raw veggies to have on the side.

The doughy wrap on the outside of these is hands down the best part. It's all flaky and delicious.

I also had an apple with some Justin's maple almond butter- a new favorite. It's the perfect balance of almonds and flavorful sweetness.

Hope you're enjoying your Sunday!

Where were you on Y2K? And have you ever had any surgeries?

Stuff Is Crazy

Like 1996, there seem to be some gaping holes in late 1998 and 1999. Pictures of France abound (unsurprising, given my mom's Francophilia. Pictures of everything else, however, seem to be missing...

Halloween 1998. I was Scarlett O'Hara, but everyone thought I was Rose from Titanic and since that seemed cooler I changed my costume title.

Couscous! He died when I was 17. Best cat ever. Miss you dude.

I had a tea party with some of my friends and apparently at tea parties you do interpretive dance in the yard. I throw a mean fiesta.

Christmas card 1999! Me and Luke about to pig out on sundaes in France.

At the Carcassonne ruins in the south of France. That night France won the World Cup and it was pandemonium.

With the popsicle. I look happy.

I caught a frog! They must love me.

First day of fourth grade. In case you can't see it, my tshirt has a picture of a kitten with a beanie and butterfly clips in its fur and says "Fly Girl" on it. I'm always available for fashion tips.

If you told me in 1999 that ten years later those buildings would be gone and I'd be living in that city, I would never have believed it. Stuff is kind of crazy to think about.

Piano camp in Montreal. I loathed that place with a passion.

I was Cleopatra for Halloween!! In addition to my Titanic phase, there were also shorter-lived phases about Ancient Egypt, colonial America and Marie Antoinette. And I always wondered why the other kids thought I was weird...

Determined to get the remaining years all organized by the end of the weekend. In 2002 we went to a digital camera, so there's only a few years left. You all have your barbeques and beer. I have my pictures. Hope you're having a wonderful holiday weekend!

Did you ever visit the World Trade Center before 9/11? What's one thing about your current life that your younger self never would have believed?

This Is Where It Gets Embarrassing

I'd say 1998 was the "switch" year for me. Over the course of a few months, I went from cute and endearing to chipmunk-cheeked and unwashed. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

There are three things wrong with this: I'm wearing a t-shirt with dolphins on it, I'm wearing smudged hooker eye makeup and I'm drinking a glass of red wine. Yes, my mother gave it to me. Don't worry, it's legal in France.

I still do this in the privacy of my own bathroom sometimes. I'll leave it up to you to decide if I'm kidding.

There's the chipmunk cheeks!! They were great for saving snacks for later. Fact: I suck at sailing.

Our old dog, Indy. I miss him!!

Just a casual rendezvous with the Clintons in DC. The guy on the far left was my brother's Slovak camp counselor, Peter. Shame I was too young to fully appreciate his good looks. By the way, aqua headband + lime green shorts + baby blue tank top = stylin'.

With my bunnies- Inky and Caramel. They lived until they were like ten and my poor father had to take care of them after I realized that bunnies don't actually do anything and lost interest.

Oh and once, my brother shaved half his head. Good look, right?

* * *

Anyway, onto lunch!

I had a big slice of asparagus and brie pizza leftover from last night, with some baby carrots with pesto hummus and a handful of almonds. This pizza was so good. I'm not even a cheese lover, but I can't believe brie isn't more commonly used on pizzas!

Almonds. I saved some extras in my chipmunk cheeks for snacking on later.

I also had two chopped up peaches.

Said lunch came after a gym session: 40 minutes of steady state cardio on the elliptical, followed by some abs. I think abs are actually my least favorite body part to exercise...they hurt so quickly!

What's your least favorite body part to strength train? And your favorite?

I'm A Barbie Girl

June passed way more quickly than I thought, so I need to light a fire under me if I want to finish the picture project in the next few days! Here's the end of 1997 and beginning of 1998:

Halloween '97. I was a witch, in a costume my mom made me.

Playing the piano in our elementary school talent show! I look so little.

1997 Christmas card. I wonder how my parents bribed Luke to put his arm around me and half smile.

Horrible picture quality, but I got a book about the Titanic for Christmas. So exciting.

Luke, this picture is payback for the turtle incident.

Getting my hair braided in Punta Cana. Cute face.

Doing a dance to "Barbie Girl" by Aqua at the Club Med in Punta Cana. Is it weird that I still remember the choreography to this? Seriously, I do.

Doing the splits with my cousin Eric, who's now like 15. Crazy!

My 8th birthday party was smiley themed. I even wore a yellow and black outfit. That's embarrassing.

Hunting for Easter eggs with Luke! Like my shoes? I remember thinking the platform was soooo cool.

This was the last picture ever taken with my dad's SLR. Because approximately two minutes later, I stepped on it. RIP.

Luke broke his collarbone and got breakfast in bed. And then my mom made him pose with it. Evil.

* * *

For breakfast this morning, I actually made a smoothie!

Into the blender went:

• 1 banana
• .5 cup almond milk
• 1 scoop chocolate Sun Warrior
• 1 spoonful Hershey's special dark cocoa powder
• large spoonful crunchy peanut butter
• 1 scoop chocolate Amazing Grass
• squirt of agave
• lots of ice

I didn't use a lot of milk so the smoothie would come out really thick and creamy. Success.

Time to face the day. Have a good one!

Most embarrassing outfit you ever thought was cool? I had bell bottoms embroidered with the words "Bubble Girl" on the bottom. Yeah, I don't even know.