Only hours until November....

only hours until I slip officially into

CRAZY...
Goodbye ,world.
I will miss you for a month. If you wonder where I am, I'll be wearing out my keyboard...depleting my brain...
Welcome, NaNoWriMo.
I, my soon-to-be crossed eyes, delusions and withered fingers embrace you.

31, I Could Just Squish You

I settled into my thirties this week.

I mean, you know, I entered my thirties last year, but settling in, finding my way around, getting comfortable…that takes time.

It’s like plumping a new pillow just so or slipping into that perfect pair of jeans. Or hugging that ragged, mangy stuffed animal so much you squish its poor internal Poly-fill organs.

if I’m going to be here in Thirties-land for awhile, I’d like to settle in, get cozy, make a space that’s all my own.

And I think I did it--I’m all moved into #31 now.

Let me show you what I brought along to make Thirty-One so comfy.

*The perfect rainy day, complete with Fall colors

*Phone calls, notes and gifts from family and friends—some of which I did not get a photo of, but cherish with equal love.

*An Emily-esta, lovingly hosted by my very culturally-minded friends

*A carpentry masterpiece in my bedroom which my husband is tirelessly slaving over to finish by my 32nd birthday :)

*A chill night at home with my equally-aged man, watching past seasons of Arrested Development.

(This brought much laughter to the occasion.)

*A date with Percy and Marguerite at Hale Center Theatre’s The Scarlet Pimpernel (one of my most beloved books and now one of my most adored plays. Thank you, Heather.)

*Dinner at Thai Village with my family—during which I failed to snap a single photo due to my kids and their state of “over-excitement”.

I guess they were as jubilant as I that Thirty-One has come to visit for a whole year.

So, you see, 31 has brought with it a few of the things I love most—family, friends, laughter, wit, color, sugar, good memories (a new sweatshirt from my alma mater), a little England (a particularly fantastic gift from my mom), Mexican food and happiness. :)

For the Love…

…of  a good Girls’ Night.

No, no, no….I said GOOD Girls’ Night.

You know…with BFFLs

 

good (and good amounts of) food,

sugary candy and Susan Yos.

(How does one add this very important marker ~ to blog text?)

3 a.m. bedtimes,

late night SURPRISES,

a full day of shopping,

hunting for the perfect Charleston outfit (though most were too Scandalous Geriatric to photographically include) and front back bum jeans for Shannon’s affliction.

                      

So help me, if we have to do this again, I will…..gladly plan it for next year.   ;)

Or two weeks from now. 

Or tomorrow…

Baddest

This is me.

I’m somewhat of a control freak. I’m a planner, opinionated, outgoing, a bit of a nerd and a little crazy.

But one thing I’m not is competitive.

Oh no.

You wanna be the biggest?

You wanna be the best?

You wanna be the baddest?

Be my guest.

This is my family—my in-law family.

They’re hilarious, warm, adventurous, thoughtful, hard-working and colorful.

But one thing they’re not is UNCOMPETITIVE.

Oh no.

They’re competitive, all right. Every single one of them.

And we get along fantastically. And I love them dearly.

So, it no longer comes as a surprise that when they get together, there’s an element of competition in EVERYTHING.

(Including who wrote the most heartfelt and emotional sentiments in their mother’s/wife’s birthday card, just for an example.)

The last time we were all gathered, the clash tor the biggest, baddest and best continued. Take a peek into the battle while at the lake.

I’m pretty sure I got up on the board the quickest.

Whatever. Who can stay in the frigid water the longest?

Who cares? I look the best in boating attire.

Well I’m the best boat rider. Take that.

Did you forget about the best flag holder? That’s me.

You go ahead and hold that flag, but I’m the uncle that can drench the most nieces and nephews.

Big deal. Can you shake your booty like this?

Do you have these moves?

That’s cool, but let’s see who can catch the most candy in their mouths.

How about catch candy while flying? Huh? Huh? Can you do that?

Who cares? What really matters is strategy. And I’ve got the best.

Strategy? Whatever. There is no strategy, but there’s focus. And no one can focus like me.

Are you serious? It’s all about the stance and I’ve got it.

Yeah? Well, I have the biggest mouth.

Okay, I’ll give you that, but I've got the steadiest hand.

You can have your steadiest hand. I’m still the most focused.

Ahh, I love my family.

Good thing I don’t have to compete for favorite daughter-in-law. Everyone knows I’m the baddest of the bad. :) (Right, Whitney?)

(And, Stephanie, sometimes I’m just plain favorite…) :)