why i will miss him.

(It has snowed twice this week...and so this photo may be my very last of fall folliage 2009. Consider me heartbroken!)

Late yesterday evening, Gabe and I made a trip to the grocery store so he could pick up something to make for dinner. After staring blankly into the frosty doors of frozen goods, checking cook times and peeking at his watch, Gabe finally speaks:

Gabe: "I really want to make a lasagna. But it has to be baked."

Me: "You should totally just microwave it. It's late."

Gabe: "No. It has to be baked."

Me (witchily snatching icy lasagna block from his hands): "Gaberdoodle. This one takes an hour and forty five minutes to bake. That means you won't be putting noodles in your mouth until 10pm."

Gabe: "Fine. You don't get to play 'Lasagna' with me."

Me: "Um...did you just say "play 'Lasagna'"?"

Gabe: (defensively) "Yes. Playing lasagna is when we buy frozen lasagna, bake it in an oven and then eat it with Ned (our kitten) like a happy family."

Just one of the millions of reasons why, in a few weeks, I will miss him terribly. My funny bone will probably dust up and crumble into a thousand little pieces.

float away.

(Two of my favorites: leaves and puddles.)

I absolutely cannot believe that the weekend has come and gone. And at midnight on Sunday night, it isn't looking like my real "To-Do's" got completed...

The Completed Items:

• Open all the windows and snuggle up in the crisp chill. Sleep in--twice.
• Flip through September's issue of Lucky. Curse body type for looking like a lumberjack in oh-so-fashion forward plaid.
• Catch a baseball game on TV, make concerted effort to watch and follow along. Wind up falling asleep. Pride self on effort, regardless.
• Cuddle brand new little kitten at the humane society...fall in love, dream of adopting him and naming him Xander. Recall crushing reality that I live in a "no pets" apartment. Return little kitten to lonely wire cage.
• Sneak in a little birthday shopping for my mom. End up shopping for self...decide this probably makes me a terrible, ego-centric person. Blame it all on the fabulous sales.
• Share a glass of Honeycrisp wine with my sis, laugh uproariously at old episodes of The Office.
• Spend the afternoon with fam + Gabe + cousin Chad for annual fall jaunt to a gorgeous local state park. Catch these three perfect leaves bathing in a parking lot puddle.

Items Not Completed (or, truthfully, attempted in the least...):

• Wash and dry frighteningly massive pile of dirty dishes. Ew.
• Put pencil to paper--finish two drawings for class. (Do not leave this until the night before...)
• Clean out scary, scary fridge.
• Catch up on 3+ hours of reading for class-take online quizzes and participate in discussion forum.
• Wade through ginormous laundry pile, wash the filth...rid drawers and closet of the unwanted.
• Visit the gym. At least once. (Wince. Epic fail.)

I will surely pay for all this "undone" later...but, oh, what a lovely weekend of procrastination. :)

the {not so} near and {oh so} dear.

(My friend Andrea on the right, and me on the left. Totally jacked this photo from A's Facebook this AM. Hope she doesn't mind...I also whitened my teeth, because I'm vain like that.)

Last night was incredible, and exactly what I needed. My Washingtonian friend since Kindergarten, Andrea, popped home to visit a sick family member, and I was lucky enough to snag her Friday night. We caught up, chatting at breakneck speeds over dinner at Shanghai Bistro, where moody live jazz was playing. The place is so contemporary, which is fun for us...because, let's face it: Eau Claire, Wisconsin isn't exactly burgeoning with cosmopolitan-esque eateries. Then, after a conversation about exactly how YOUNG college students look, we decided to scope out a local band--the Laarks at the University. (The Laarks are quite good. Think Death Cab.) We felt so very old--but totally dug watching the awkward teens get their dance on.

It's remarkable what an evening with a soul sister can do to your heart. We've got a very solid 18 years of close friendship behind our belts, and I always feel like she's a person who can read my heart and mind. Andrea has an amazingly beautiful soul. A girl who is so real, so thoughtful and so compassionate. She's the girl who never forgets a birthday, an inside joke or that one time geeky Kevin Rezarch microwaved a twisty tie in 1st grade and nearly smoked us all out of the lunchroom. (Confession: I. Loved. Kevin Rezarch.) Someone who constantly seeks meaning, love and connections in everything around her. Not to mention she's quite hilarious... :)

Somehow--blessedly--I struck the friend jackpot when I was young. Although those dearest to me are not geographically the nearest to me, they are the ones who bring so much fulfillment and joy in ways that I feel no one else will ever hold a candle to. (Ooo. I know it's bad to leave "to" at the end of a sentence, but not quite sure how to restructure this one. So sorry grammar nerds.)

Very happy weekending to you! :)

it's the little things.

(I snapped this photo several weeks ago at Vino, an incredible local venue. It is an absolute must if you're in the area!)

Today was such a lovely mosaic of moments that left me feeling so warm and fuzzy...and on this frigid and drizzly 40 degree day, a little warmth went a long way! I'm still feeling sunshiney and thankful for...

...a blessed fire alarm that saved me from the last frustratingly uninspired 30 minutes of art class.

...sneaking in a snuggly afternoon nap in my favorite sweatshirt.

...an impromptu pasta dinner with two good friends and a co-worker resulting in near tears-down-face laughter. So heart healthy. (The laughs, not necessarily the pasta...)

...good news about what could have been a scary situation involving a family member's health.

...flirtation. (Or maybe it isn't? Ack. I don't know. What am I, a mind reader?)

...a fabulous stack of second-hand magazines from my boss, which I plan to devour tonight.

...the sweet woman at Old Navy who never fails to remember my name. (I picked up this sweater in aqua, which seemed like a great idea at time...but now I'm unsure. Too grandma-ish? Grandma-chic? Just plain chic? Help!)

...getting to look forward to a little Friday night date with an old friend.

Hope your Thursday was just as toasty and wonderful. :)