Bopril

Friday Funday

Today is a 'mental health day,' aka 'comp day' from work that I was about to lose if I didn't quickly use it. The last couple of weeks have been pretty intense, so I decided to kick-start the weekend with a day at home and catching up on life.

Thus far, I've enjoyed a morning walk, chai latte in hand, an acupuncture session and consult with the lovely Caroline (whom I adore), and some time browsing my beloved inter-webs. Veggies are currently steaming on the stove, and I think there is considerable reading and perhaps a mani-pedi in my near future.

Even though the day has also included a considerable amount of time and effort cleaning up runny doggie excrement - from the rug, and also my sock - overall, I quite like this extra weekend day all to myself.

I know it will fade all too fast, so I'm off to enjoy the expanse that's left in front of me. Have a lovely weekend, friends.

And before you go, a few gems I've enjoyed this week, for your reading pleasure:

Cute (and love) overload via the always lovely artist of words, Rebecca

A place I think we all know well, and one we can collectively push against

Just the kick in the pants I needed this week (perhaps you need it too?)

Awesome advice for exploring an awesome city

An important reminder (that I intend to watch regularly)

And finally, a relaxing photo for a relaxing Friday:

First Comes Love

Their story isn't conventional, and it hasn't always been easy, but they make it work. And they have such fun while they're doing it. I think that is the greatest way to sustain a marriage over decades. It's been so awesome watching theirs grow, and I can't wait to see what lies ahead.

Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad! Your awesome-ness precedes you, and I love you so.

May you always dance with each other and keep laughter as the primary soundtrack of your days. XOXO

Dear Wifey,

I remember a lot of birthdays with you. I woke up this morning thinking of the birthdays we've shared. I thought of the time we dressed in our Grandmothers finest dresses and shoes and pearls and had tea at your house on 3 Edgewood Court, and how we snuck away and hid in your closet with teddy bears, just you and me, just for a little while.

Or the times we whirled around the skating rink as Madonna or Journey or some other roller-rink staple blared from the speakers. We held hands and closed our eyes and just spun and spun. Time stood still in the way it does when you're young and having fun and holding hands with your best friend with the whole world spread in front of you. Oh, and I remember the crimped hair and scrunched socks too, color coordinated. And I'm pretty sure I rocked the LA Gear denim jacket in that particular memory (and the swooped to the side and mousse-plastered bangs too).

Or the slumber parties where we'd watch New Kids on the Block videos and talk about boys and dip oranges in sugar and talk about where we'd go when we were old enough to just take off. We'd spread out our sleeping bags and party with our group of girlfriends, but we usually stayed up later than anyone else and continued the party, just you and me. It was always my favorite part.

We turned twenty-one seven months (and two states) apart, but it didn't stop each of us from closing the distance to reach the other and be there for the first legal 'cheers.' You wore a funny medal and we had an awesome dinner followed by a frat party appearance where Schmikey impressed on the dance floor. We shared a toast in Knoxville, again just you and me, before heading out on the town to make damn good use of my legit ID. I wore leopard printed pants; I apologize retroactively for that.

In LA, there were dinners and club appearances and surprise parties and balloons and special cards and wishes and new friends and gifts, but there was also the standard. You and me, starting the day celebrating another year of the others presence. We added a grown-up element in those years, and we'd say things like "let's grab a drink downstairs after work to kick off the birthday festivities." It didn't matter what day of the week it was, because we had each other and our youth rendered us immune to hangovers and nights of not nearly enough sleep.

I have loved celebrating every birthday with you, Wifey. I wish we lived across the street from one another so I could have popped in this morning with flowers and a mostly edible baked good. Instead, I woke up and involuntarily scrolled through all of these (and many more) memories, and in my heart, I showed up where you are and I was carrying flowers and the biggest cupcake you've ever seen.

Happy birthday, forever friend. I adore you, and I'm blessed times a million to be able to celebrate you on your special day. Here's to many more birthdays ahead. Next year, let's crimp our hair and go roller-skating, ok? I'll bring the oranges, you grab the sugar.

Love and BFF, forever and ever (and ever),

Bops

*Celebrating 29 for me:

And 30 for you (jointed with Halloween and REALLY red lighting):

*The smallest representation of the birthday fun we've shared in photo form. Can't wait to add more images to the library.

Weekendings: Furry Friends and Showers at Night

This (not so) lovely Monday morning, I was simultaneously awakened by the shrieking alarm clock and lulled to dreamland by the world's most soothing sound, rain falling outside my window. This combination, or rather contradiction, continued for about 45 minutes of snooze button indulgence before I finally gave in and threw back the covers to start another day.

It's still pretty wet and dreary out there, so I am content to revel in our weekend at least a little longer. So then, let's do a recap of sorts, shall we?

Friday was one of those days when you look up at the clock, notice it is after 3pm, and realize that you've yet to have a sip of water or a bite of food apart from your morning bowl of cereal. Work was a blur of conference calls and urgent deliverables and the day flew by at warp speed as a result. Suffice it to say I was more than ready to head out for a quick dinner and a movie date when Husband made his way home from the 'burbs.

Dinner was a major hit while the movie was an equally major miss - you can't win 'em all, right? We see a lot of movies at Casa Carretta - we typically visit the theater at least once per weekend, sometimes twice (and on rare occasion, three times) - and I have to say that this was the first movie I've ever deliberately walked out on. I expected a scary, perhaps borderline slasher film, but I did NOT expect a very disturbing and dark portrayal of life in the deep South. I also did not expect to see Vampire Eric - who even though pretty garish and dark on True Blood, is an all time favorite character - in a role so awful that I may never be able to look at him, or enjoy his performances, in the same way again. Obviously, I'd recommend skipping this flick and the hauntingly disturbed feeling that follows you out of the theater. Moving on!

Saturday involved running and retail therapy and fur baby playing and reading, and I am happy to report that my Fall "must-have" list is getting shorter all the time. This has been perhaps my best season to date in terms of making strategic purchases here and there to give my closet a little "kick." Now I just need to stop procrastinating the big seasonal overhaul so I can organize and actually see what I'm working with. Next weekend, perhaps?

We had a shared sushi craving on Saturday, so we visited the old neighborhood for spicy tuna and flaming maki before attending our first ever at-night baby shower. Is this a new thing? I'm not sure if it is a trend or a one-time happening, but I actually quite liked it. No silly games, no cliche anything, just friends catching up over appetizers and wine, and a little oohing and aahing at tiny pink things sprinkled throughout as gifts were opened and advice was exchanged. Oh, and I made a mental note to copy the mini fries for our next party, as they were beyond adorable. I'd share a picture, but I was too busy devouring them to take one.

Sunday was all about the furry ones with the annual PAWS walk. It's always such fun to watch the hundreds of dogs interacting with one another, and the owners enjoying each others company and trying (sometimes in vain) to control the larger pups of the bunch. Our guys are hesitant at first, preferring to be carried until the crowd thins out a bit, but then they embrace it fully, walking along and pausing for treat infused photo-opps along the way. This year the sky opened up and dumped rain on us about halfway through, so it made for a bit of a muddy and sandy mess, but we had fun nonetheless and were so happy to contribute to an amazing organization while enjoying the day lakeside with our favorite furry munchkins.

And now, the hunt for the perfect fur baby Halloween (or Bow-Wow-Ween as we refer to it) costumes!

Hope you had a lovely weekend too, friends.

By Air and By Sea, We Watched

So, I realized that I never told you about our weekend with Mom exploring the coolest parts of Chicago. Suffice it to say that we had an excellent time, consumed frightening amounts of delicious food and awesome wine, and left no spare minute unused over the course of four days.

The boys introduced Nana to the dog beach, where she watched them frolic and bore witness to a chocolate lab absconding with Husband's full Starbucks cup. Apparently, he needed a morning jolt; we know the feeling, so we didn't begrudge him the cup of jo. 

It was Air and Water Show weekend, and we joined family friends in what we discovered to be the best possible seat for this particular show. I have seen parts of previous Air and Water Shows from the beachfront, from 65 floors up via my office window, and even from our old roof deck where we could catch stray glimpses of the planes as they circled for yet another dive. But this time, we checked it out from the water. Let's just say that is where this show is supposed to be watched, and it was spectacular.

By all accounts, Mom appeared to have an excellent time:

As did the (completely adorable) kiddos on board:

In addition to high times on the sea, there was dancing and champagne drinking and catching up against the twinkling backdrop of the city 16 floors above the ground (at Trump). It was a new way of experiencing our own city, so different from our typical weekends. 

All of Mom's visits are fun, but this one upped the ante, and in so doing, flew by faster than ever before. And although we delivered her to the airport sporting headaches and extra dark sunglasses, we were so sad to see her go. Come again soon, Mom! The Windy City - and its endless adventures - await.

Nine Eleven

Yesterday, I felt like being quiet. But I was there---paying attention and remembering and wishing peace for all.

And as ever, daring to Imagine:

Falling into the Weekend

I adore Fall, and I am channeling it's fabulous colors and textures and scents this weekend.

My favorite Aunt Sadies candles have been ordered, and our seasonal decor is beginning to take shape throughout the house.



My wallet is itching to purchase mums and pumpkins and hay bales to complete the look. Soon, my friends.

And speaking of my wallet and it's need to open and purchase things, I've been fixated on my beloved September issues and all the lovely items popping up for the season. I usually take to Polyvore and create fun moodboards, but there is something to the tactile fun of pulling out scissors and tape and going to town. So, I embraced it and went all crafty schoolgirl with my inspiration collages this year:



Beyond that, there is a lot of fur babe snuggling going on at Casa Carretta this weekend.



Wishing you a happy one, friends.

Summer is So Over Us

It seems the calendar took summer's end quite literally this year and we awoke on Labor Day morning to temps that had dipped into the 50's. On the bright side, it did make it easier to pack up and leave the lake in our rearview mirror.

And now, Fall looms straight ahead with its yummy soups and pumpkin themed everything. I am ready to pull out the scarves and boots and embrace brisk air and open windows. But Winter? Please take your sweet time heading our way, ok?

It was another weekend of bright days and mild evenings; meals prepped on the grill, sunscreen scented wind and four boisterous fur babes blending with two kiddos and six adults into a cacophonous blur of family and laughter and fun.

So long, summer. We will see you next year. Hope your summer ended on a high note, friends.