Bopril

Bright Outlook

I love when the calendar ahead of me is dotted with fun moments to look forward to. I get excited---downright giddy, even---and revel in the anticipation of what’s to come. It makes me want to always plan something, so that there is always something to grasp for, something on the horizon to work toward, to be crazy, kid-like excited for.

Right now, I am in luck, because my calendar is literally a beacon of excitement in the coming weeks. Tomorrow morning---bright, and early---I leave for CT to finally meet my new little niece in person, and then I plan to snuggle her within an inch of her little life for the rest of the weekend. I hope Rich and Ashley won’t notice that I’ve stolen their daughter. Or at least that they won’t mind loaning her out for a bit. I have big plans for the weekend, things like rocking and singing and holding and cooing and talking---lots of talking---to sweet Everly so she knows exactly who I am and exactly what role I plan to play in her world. It’s been awhile since I’ve gotten to enjoy a newborn baby, and I cannot WAIT to make up for lost time.

And, of course, I’ll be watching the Royal Wedding festivities. I know there are strongly divided camps on this topic, but I fall firmly in camp interested/enthralled, and will be tuning in as much as possible. I’ve long been a fan of William, and have thought Kate was just terrific for years. I love watching her style evolve, and can hardly wait to see what she chooses for her bridal moment. It’s sure to be a good time, and the American media is certainly not lacking for options through which to participate in the grand event.

And the following weekend brings an annual tradition of fun and Southern roots and family and all around general merriment. Naturally, I’m talking about the Derby. Having secured my attire for both events, I can now settle into the anticipation of reuniting with my family for one of our favorite weekends of the year. Next week, we’re Blue Grass bound, and it can’t come soon enough. I am pretty excited about my Derby hat this year---it’s pretty fabulous if I do say so myself---and thanks to my parents, I won’t be rocking a “DIY” creation which was my original plan. Considering my penchant for craftiness---and what I really mean is my LACK THEREOF---it could have turned out quite disastrously.

So, straight ahead then: babies and friends and family and fashion and horses and time honored tradition. The forecast predicts rain, but all I see is excitement for miles.

Could you die from sheer CUTE?

Remembering Derbys past, to get inspired for Derby future:

She is Full of Awesome

Today, because it is her birthday, and because she is awesome, ten reasons why my Mom is the best Mom.

She flies all over the country to visit her kiddos wherever they happen to live. She does this by herself, even though she doesn’t like flying, and particularly doesn’t like flying solo.

She is always the life of the party---she loves to dance and prefers to be the last to leave. She puts my social life to shame.

She shows age who’s boss, and into her fifties, continues to kick major ass. Every day.

Her heart is huge and kind, and she is always willing to share it.

I call her every single day, but each time, she is reacts as if she hasn’t heard from me in ages because she is always that happy to hear my voice.

She adores the fur-babes and brings them gifts each time she visits. Nana always checks in on her boys, and it never fails to make me smile.

No matter the situation at hand, she is always firmly on my side. Sometimes I am shocked by how much comfort this continues to provide, even into my thirties.

She listens…really listens and gives advice when you ask for it. Mostly though, she just lets you know that she is there. Always.

She smiles with her entire face and often jumps up and down when she’s excited. It’s awesome.

She is my biggest fan and my loudest advocate. And the feeling is entirely mutual.

Happy birthday, Mom! Let’s celebrate with wine and fun hats in the Bluegrass State. Or, you know, an awesome impromptu dance party. XO

Gifted

Sometimes you hear a particular voice singing a particular song, and it's just obvious that it was meant to be. That it was a gift. It gives you chills and makes you cry. It makes you smile, long after it has stopped playing. This is one of those times. What an amazing gift she has. 

Hoppy Easter!

We awoke to discover that the big bunny himself had visited our house and left quite the bounty for the little furry ones. Hope the same is true for you.

Have a blessed and happy Easter.

In Florence...

We climbed more than 400 stairs to the top of the tower adjacent to the Duomo and enjoyed panoramic views of the entire city. This was only after devouring every inch of the Duomo itself and exposing ourselves to cultural overload. It was breathtaking up there. And windy.

We visited a slew of other museums too, but photos were strictly forbidden, and ever the rule follower---I obliged and kept my camera tucked safely away from the critical eyes of security guards (even if they were somewhat of the rent-a-cop variety). I very much enjoyed wondering from painting to painting, from sculpture to sculpture, and like everywhere else on this trip, I just got lost in the history of my surroundings. It was especially mesmerizing to stand in front of the famous David sculpture. The scale is truly spectacular, and you honestly can't imagine how he carved such an intricate image from stone. I marveled at the artistic passion and talent of years past almost constantly on this trip. It made me wish I were more of an art aficionado, or at least proficient in art history. I might want to pick up a book or two in the future. And I know for sure that I've been letting the art in my own surroundings go to waste, having never visited a single museum in New York or Chicago. I have it on my list to remedy that as quickly as possible.

We luxuriated in our hotel---The Four Seasons---and fell in love with the grounds, the staff and the unparalleled service that is dependable and consistent no matter what corner of the earth you visit. The building was once a palazzo, and I easily imagined royal families dressing to the nines for formal dinners and throwing balls in the glorious staterooms, twirling the night away on marble floors. They boast one of the four largest private gardens in the world, and even when not fully in bloom, it was stunning. I took a particular liking to their magnolia trees.

We walked every square inch of the town, and especially enjoyed a central bridge in the city that, during the day, was covered from end to end in gold and jewel shops, and at night, was a glorious spot to stop and admire the cityscape back-lit by the moon.

We enjoyed fantastic restaurants here. In fact, we didn't have a single meal that we didn't immediately label outstanding, even as we came face to face with our first experiences with menus completely in Italian. Our love affair continued with gelato as well, and we admired the chic fashion sense that was uniquely Florentine. We met a very suave man named Filipo who used to work for Valentino and who lived in New York for ten years. He was very knowledgeable and entertaining, and from his table dressed head to toe in cashmere, he informed BJ that he "dressed like a basketball player." The conversation that followed was pretty funny, and we were at least a little sad to part company with our interesting new friend.

On two consecutive nights, we found ourselves closing out the night at an open patio bar in the middle of a huge plaza. We'd have a few glasses of prosecco and enjoy the DJ who always played cheesy American songs for the crowd to dance to. There was an older gentleman there both nights who danced beautifully with whatever lady he could convince to join him, and I thought of my Gramps as I watched them twirl and twirl. He was a dapper dancer, my Gramps. Just beyond the patio was a carousel that was just begging for my attention. I obliged on both occasions and gleefully went round and round on "Henry," my beautiful horse. I said again and again "it's just like I'm five." And I guess that isn't a bad way to live...not at all.

Florence was beautiful and stylish and a place I could easily imagine living. It boasts more than 4,000 American students every semester, and it is easy to see why it is such a popular study abroad destination. I would happily go back; I think Henry would be thrilled to see me.

As ever, you can find more photos here if you'd like.

Next I'll tell you about a day trip to Tuscan wine country, and why it prompted both of us to say it ranked among the top ten days of our lives.

Food on the Brain

Awhile ago, I read a book. It was a book I’d been meaning to read forever, one for which I’d gone to considerable lengths to seek out and consume surrounding reviews, interviews with the author and other peripheral assets and sources.

I spend a lot of time thinking about food. Where it comes from, how it gets to my plate, what happens in between. What is it made of? How is it made? Who is involved? It’s become kind of a habit to visualize the journey of food from its origin to my house, or “from farm to fork” as the trendy slogan goes.

I am so intrigued by this topic, how it impacts people, the extent to which we think about this at all. I welcome any opportunity to be mindful, and I love a good think as much as the next guy, so really, this is just my cup of tea. Do you think about this? Do you actively make these decisions or do you go about your day and eat when your pesky schedule will allow you to? Do you consider the ties that exist between your food and animal welfare, the environment, the direct health of your family, workers in the field? Or do these things never cross your mind and you think I’ve officially left the reservation?

Jonathan Safran Foer fascinates me and I’ve been enthralled with his story. An on-again, off-again vegetarian for years, he’d never really given much thought to food, and had sort of blindly followed one allegiance and then another through college and beyond, mostly doing whatever was in vogue at any given time. He found himself facing fatherhood and was smacked with an insatiable desire to really confront these questions head on. He didn’t begin with an agenda, only an opportunity to see for himself so he could make a decision that he could live with, and could comfortably share with his kid. He wrote about it. Fairly and well-balanced. He checked vitriol at the door, gave all sides their due, and really tried to present an objective narrative on a topic that is used to anything but.

I think he succeeded. I devoured the book from cover to cover and would recommend it, highly, if these types of questions are of interest.

And now? I’m hungry.

Auntie April is so Proud

Everly Chatterton Kraska was born today, weighing in at 6 lbs, 12 oz.

They make an adorable family, no? My heart bursts for these people I love so much. Miss Everly, I cannot wait to get my hands on you.

Welcome to the world, little Miss!

A New Era Begins!

We've been friends forever. A lifetime of companionship, sisterhood, late-night talks, ups and downs, tears, laughter and all the love in the world.

We sang silly songs together in Brownies, sold girl scout cookies year after year. Played with barbie dolls (her) and cabbage patch dolls (me) and committed to Friday night sleepovers for years. There were oranges dipped in sugar, videos of New Kids on the Block, weekly viewings of 90210, cheer-leading, a shared love of reading (Babysitter's Club, of course), and a deep, lasting love that has colored every day of my life since the age of five.

Our lives took separate paths geographically when we were in the 7th grade. We didn't live in the same place again until our California adventures after college. But geography had nothing to do with our connection. We visited, we talked on the phone, we emailed, we texted. We made plans and kept in touch. She studied in Argentina for a semester and I sent letters and care packages. My new town didn't air 90210, so she mailed me each week's episode on VHS. We spent the summer after our Freshman year in the woods of North Carolina wrangling 20 little girls amidst hiking and sleepovers and tent-pitching and creepy crawlies. We threw caution to the wind and moved to California after graduating college, just because we could. We started a brand new life, together, threw ourselves into the great big world. Embraced adulthood, side by side. Watched each other meet and fall in love with our husbands. Stood by each other on our wedding days, coordinated showers and bachelorette parties, tied ribbons, stacked programs, coordinated gift baskets. Held each other close, and had the courage to let go when we needed to. Rested in the assurance that the other would be there. Always. Every day.

Today, a new phase begins. My sister-friend will welcome a baby girl of her own into the world. She has just been admitted to the hospital, and I am here, thinking of her every second and wishing I was there to hug her in person. And so, I come here and document the day, channel my excitement and anxiety somewhere she can read when the dust settles in the new few weeks. Ah, wifey, what can I say? There aren't words to describe my excitement. You were born for Motherhood, and I can't even fathom the amazing ways this sweet girl will impact the world. With you as her guide, there is simply no other outcome.

I can't wait to see you embrace this new role, your biggest yet. It's an honor to be along for the ride, and I am dying (literally, SHAKING over here) to hold that precious baby girl and tell her our story from start to finish. How surreal that when I hug you next, you'll have your daughter in your arms. Life is amazing, isn't it? My wish for her is that she finds a Wifey of her own. That she will find a soul-mate who will enrich and bless and change her life in all the ways that you've impacted mine. That she will find a mirror that reflects her real truth back to her, always, even when it is hard. That she will find the perfect half to her whole, a partner in crime who will make every life stage better, brighter. Just like those BFF necklaces we used to wear, half for your neck, and the other for mine.

Be still, my heart---I'm overjoyed this morning. Baby Girl Kraska is on her way. Look out, world.

Weekendings: Outside Again At Last

Our weekend was glorious, and I even gave considerable thought to making up with Chicago for good. We finally saw our old pal the sun, and temps soared well into the 80's. Our upstairs heated up quickly, forcing us to open windows and doors to beat the stifling heat. We were giddy about this---when we were home, that is, which actually wasn't much at all---and we dug through our closets to find our flip flops before heading out to enjoy our day. We went for walks, we ran outside, we sat in the sun, we ran errands with car windows rolled down, we turned our faces to the sun and we remembered the joy of spending the majority of our free time outdoors.

And, we returned to the park at last. We spread a sheet in the grass and enjoyed a picnic lunch. Jack ran and ran and retrieved his green ball and Cooper played for a bit before taking a nap in the sun.

I had forgotten the power of sunshine and a few days of good weather and time outdoors. It's restorative, and we were beyond ready. Fingers crossed it continues well into the weekend ahead.