.Post (Edit).

It has been brought to my attention that I left out one very important member in my Thanksgiving "thankful" list.  My life would not be definitely complete without this precious lil penguin...

Lovely Day.

Feeling especially thankful this year.  A perfect fall morning spent in the kitchen with family.  An afternoon nap.  And now?  A glass of red, and a warm cozy bed.  But most importantly, a boyfriend at home who loves me more than anything (and tells me every day).

I am truly blessed. 

My Thanksgiving Contribution

Homemade cranberry sauce.

 

Delish.

So Thankful.

For him.

...these girls...

                 and them.

The Weather Outside is Frightful...

So I stay inside and cook.

 

...and drink.

..Butternut Squash Chicken Stew..

..Pumpkin Penne w/Parmesan..

And my most recent culinary discovery...

Chicken pho (a la Pho Van) is my new favorite gluten-free winter treat.

I'm not really sure when or how it happened, but it would seem as though I've caught the bug of domesticity.  Perhaps it's the season (the golden trees, the crisp air, or the imminence of holiday festivities).  Whatever the reason, I can't seem to stop cooking, cleaning, and shopping...for groceries of all things! (and maybe some shoes too...I've not completely lost all sense).  But now I'm hearing myself say things like "sautee", "simmer" and "babe will you run to the store; we're out of cumin".

To highlight the extreme nature of my condition, here are just a few of my purchases from yesterday:

-a new MAC lipstick

-a black peacoat

-a pair of sparkly earrings

-2 bulbs of fennel...?

Who is this girl?!

For now, I figure I'll just embrace it.  The scariest part of this whole transformation is that I'm truly enjoying it.  I love how the apartment consistently smells like home cooked food, I always have clean (and color coordinated) clothes, and most importantly, I haven't managed to catch anything on fire, or lose a finger yet (however there have been a couple of close calls).  Someone please kill me if I start knitting, collecting dolls, or develop a sudden fascination for cats.

Weekend Recap

After careful reflection on this past weekend, I've realized a few things about myself:

1. I have a slightly unhealthy obsession with all things Kardashian

2. I thoroughly enjoy being spoiled 

3. I am seriously out of the Gossip Girl loop

4. There's a good chance I may never be "mommy-material"  

5. I was likely Betty Crocker in a past life

That said, it's now time for this girl to head back to reality...and a new one at that.  A reality that will involve a new roommate.  Yep, to the dismay of Republicans everywhere...I'm becoming the girl with the [gasp] live-in boyfriend.  Granted, the biggest adjustments will be the drastic reduction of closet space and slight lack of square footage.  Relationships are supposed to be about compromise, right?  However, this is a big adjustment for me personally, and one that I swore I would never make again.  So much for my overly dramatic proclamations (I take after my father).  I'd like to believe that I'm ready for this, but I know there's a very good chance I'm not.  Yet, for some reason, I'm okay with that.  I'm okay with taking things one day at a time.  For once, I'm not looking ahead and wondering what the future holds because deep down, I know that it's going to be good.

It's Heeeere!

Fall in all of it's brilliance. 

Crisp morning air, crunchy leaves, pumpkins, 

apple cider, cozy sweaters, 
college football, lazy afternoons,

and perhaps most importantly, 

the inherent feeling that the best is yet to come. 

I'm especially smitten this time of year :)

I Love...

• Falling asleep to crickets outside my window
• Football Saturdays
• BBQ's with good friends
• Sundays with mommy
• Watching cable TV
• Baking all day
• Waking up to birds, not construction
• Escaping the city for the weekend
• Coming back refreshed

A wise friend has strongly advised me to enjoy my last two weeks as a (semi)single girl in the city.  She's right...I should be enjoying my final two weeks of sleeping with ALL the covers, taking long hot showers, and not having to share the bathroom mirror.  And yet here I sit with my laptop and dinner for one, facebooking, wondering what time it is in Bangkok, and how I'm going to rearrange my apartment to be more accommodating.  Perhaps this makes me a nerd, but I'm pretty confident he already knows this.  Let's just say that I'm more than ready for this seemingly endless summer to finally end.  I'm ready to share the covers, hot water, and even the bathroom mirror.  I just want my Asian back.

He's way too far away...

I Want...

• To write a book
• To finally get my Boston Terrier
• To own a Marc Jacobs bag
• To take a yoga class
• To sing on a street corner
• To write a song
• To adopt a Grandpa (preferably Al or Harold)
• To go on a road trip
• To visit New York City
• To find my pet spider Phillip

Falling Slowly

The music, the wine, the atmosphere, the energy, the passion.  The company of friends who've become a family, and an abundance of love to go around.  The memories that will last a lifetime.  The sight of the one you love falling in love with music.  A reminder of why we fall in love.  Beauty in it's truest form.  Seen, felt, heard, lived.  The night I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. 

In my experience, yes.

Obsessive Compulsive?

[Text 8/17/10]

Me: I sat on the dirty, gross max seat today...aren't you proud?!

Ina: You must have been wearing pants that needed to be washed...

Me: That is correct.

Ina: And I thought I was too much.

.The Usual Suspects.

Yes, this is my father.

 

The Sister-Friend

                     I told him he just won the best rose competition...I lied.

 This pretty much sums it up...

New Beginnings

To say that the last couple of years have been tumultuous would be quite the understatement.  I’ve survived the end of a four year relationship, had two roommates…then had none, lost a best friend, gained a new one, moved to a new state, got a job, got a promotion, went back to school, found the perfect apartment, rediscovered my voice, learned to play guitar, and most importantly, fell very unexpectedly in love.  I’m now on an endeavor to teach myself how to embrace change and live fully in each moment, because if I’ve learned one thing in my life, it’s that nothing is forever, and time is nothing if not fleeting.   

Cheers to new beginnings!