Good Morning June

The conference to end all conferences in this industry was last week and my god am I beat. (More specifically, I barely have feet anymore - skin and heels worn away!) This year it was in Washington, DC which was lucky for me because I was right in the vicinity of Jayna's dad's place so I got to spend a day with her and Stephen and Annika!

They indulged me and took me to George Washington's Mount Vernon - I've been to DC plenty of times but hadn't been outside of the city, so it was fun to do and sure was beautiful (and hot!)

Welcomed with not only my (favorite!),
but a light version of it that I had no idea
existed!!

Me and my boo

She's stealing my coffee

George and Martha Washington's final
resting place

Mini Washington monuments

Scaffolding on Mt. Vernon. Lame!

Is this why American money is green?

"For the Pattern Blog"

She knows where money is kept

Swimsuit courtesy of fairy
godmother Kiki!

I feel compelled to document the YouTube videos that Jayna played for Annika during some of her fussy moments, cause they were pretty fun and got stuck in my head and I have caught myself singing them to myself...

Of course it went by too fast and then I was back in the city for NAFSA. There are still a lot of museums and things that I want to do/see in DC, but I was too exhausted to really do much and actually enjoyed evenings working out in the hotel gym and watching Shark Tank. This "low key" week also included going to receptions every evening and even reception hopping to 3 one night, but making it back from 11ish. That's a tame NAFSA!

The hotel I stayed in for a conference last July was a part of the room block and walking distance to the convention center, so I stayed there again this year. I really like it, and it's right on the edge of Chinatown.

Yes there were some summer storms!

NAFSA is always a good time since I get to reconnect with people that I met on the road, meet new vendors and potential partners. It's also insanely overwhelming for that reason, but it's really cool to see all of the booths coming up with new swag, alcohol receptions, and other decor to work to stand out from the competition. You're walking through the world a bit.

This looks deserted but it was anything but. This
was just the last entrance into the expo hall and it
was a madhouse inside

I love the Japan area because of all the cherry
blossom trees they put up!

I went to a reception at the new international
spy museum. If you haven't seen the time
Colbert goes to it in DC from the Colbert Report,
it's a real treat!

Evening reception views!

Me and Chrishon know how to have a good
time haha! She was too busy picking out her next
prop that she missed the second picture haha

All the swag she collected from the different tables in one day!
I was cracking up as she was bringing it all out onto the table
over lunch

I went to a Barcelona evening reception and I
had to send AJ a picture of the paella because
we love The Lonely Island song Ibitha

Chrishon's poster at the Friday poster session!

My journey back on Friday should have been simple enough but United sure seems to know how to screw up a good thing. It ended up being pretty hellish. And what is it about traveling... once you're on your way home you just want to BE THERE. So I was getting really antsy. And I swear we were THISCLOSE to missing the SNA curfew and needing to land at LAX. That really would have been the cherry on top! That's one good part that that didn't happen.

On Saturday, poor AJ had to come to a baby shower with me. It was indeed a co-ed baby shower, but it wasn't exactly as co-ed friendly as I had been expecting. He was a trooper though.

Serena has a girl due in July! And then Iris will be next
with her boy in September!

Iris, Jessica and I discovered we all pretty
much had the exact same shade of nails. Why
are my hands and fingers so crooked? I could
never be a hand model...

AJ (and Iris's husband David!) chugging apple juice from
bottles, although neither of them won, womp womp!

Sunday was one of those days where I do nothing at all, and I got to hang out with my little Bug and unpack and do laundry and take care of stuff around the house.

Big things are coming for the little Khaleesi Bug... we have a summer project AJ started on already. Stay tuned!